Report: STL Appeals Chamber to Hold Confidential Session over Defense Team Reservations
Special Tribunal for Lebanon President Judge David Baragwanath is expected to preside a confidential meeting for the Appeals Chamber at 10:00 am Wednesday, al-Akhbar newspaper reported.
The meeting is set to tackle the defense team’s reservations on the final date set for the trials in absentia before receiving the complete accusation files.
According to the daily, STL Prosecutor Norman Farrell had previously informed Pre-trial Judge Daniel Fransen and head of the STL Defense Office Francois Roux that he will not hand over all the information that reveal the identity of the witnesses in order to maintain their safety.
The tribunal announced in February that it will try the four men accused of the assassination of former Prime Minister Rafik Hariri and 21 others in a massive suicide car bomb blast in 2005.
The STL sent arrest warrants for Salim Ayyash, Mustafa Badreddine, Hussein Oneissi and Assad Sabra to Lebanese authorities on June 30, and Interpol issued a "red notice" in July.
Lebanese authorities have however failed to arrest them.
According to media reports, the trials are expected to kick off at the end of 2012.
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