The Hague - Naharnet Exclusive

Lebanese politicians who are in the Netherlands to attend the start of the trial in ex-Premier Rafik Hariri's Feb. 2005 assassination have rejected to discuss about the new cabinet formation process and stressed that “The Hague is for the court and Beirut is for the government.”

The Hague - Naharnet Exclusive

The arrival of former General Security chief Jamil al-Sayyed at the seat of the Special Tribunal for Lebanon in The Hague to attend the trial in ex-Premier Rafik Hariri's assassination caused a stir among the relatives of the victims in the series of bombings that targeted Lebanese figures since the assassination attempt against MP Marwan Hamadeh in October 2004.

Two suspects in the assassination of former Prime Minister Rafik Hariri are in Iran while the rest “have been killed,” the German news magazine Der Spiegel reported on Wednesday.

"Western intelligence agencies believe that the two prime suspects in Hariri's assassination are in Iran,” Der Spiegel said.

The March 14 general-secretariat considered on Wednesday that the launching of the Special Tribunal for Lebanon's work opens the door for "justice and eventually, reconciliation and forgiveness in the country."

“With this trial, a new era starts in Lebanon and it is the era of international justice that is based on international law," the general-secretariat said in a released statement after its weekly meeting.

Former Prime Minister Saad Hariri arrived on Wednesday evening in The Hague to participate in the first session of the trial of the four suspects accused of carrying out the assassination of his father, late premier Rafik Hariri.

Hariri arrived to The Hague from Paris on board a private jet and he was accompanied by deputy Speaker MP Farid Makari, MPs Marwan Hamadeh and Sami Gemayel, former minister Bassem Sabeh, ex-MP Ghattas Khoury, and Hariri's chief of staff, Nader Hariri, a statement released by the ex-PM's office said.

The Hague - Naharnet feature

The positioning of journalists who flew to The Netherlands to cover the first session of the Special Tribunal for Lebanon reflects the division and the rift in the Lebanese society towards the trial of the alleged assassins of former premier Rafik Hariri as representatives of local media outlets checked into different hotels in The Hague and the municipality of Leidschendam, each according to their political views and their opinions on the works of the STL.

The Special Tribunal for Lebanon announced on Wednesday the assignment of Judge Nicola Lettieri to the Trial Chamber, following his appointment last week by the U.N. Secretary-General as the new international alternate judge.

“President of the Tribunal (David Baragwanath) assigned Lettieri to the Trial Chamber of the STL,” a statement released by the STL said.

President Michel Suleiman stressed on Wednesday Lebanon's commitment to international resolutions, while highlighting the importance of the Special Tribunal for Lebanon in ending impunity in Lebanon.

He said on the eve of the beginning of the STL trial: “The tribunal is a step towards holding criminals accountable for their actions.”

The trial of those accused of killing former prime minister Rafik Hariri provides a rare chance at justice for a country more used to impunity for political assassinations.

But analysts say the proceedings are unlikely to have much of an impact on the country for now, with the consequences of the bloody war in neighboring Syria overshadowing the trial.

The Special Tribunal for Lebanon said Monday that its Trial Chamber will hold a session on Tuesday, January 14 to hear "preliminary submissions from the Prosecution and counsel for Hassan Habib Merhi on the possible joinder of the case against Mr. Merhi with the Ayyash et al. case."

Both cases relate to the February 14, 2005 bomb attack in Beirut, which killed 22 individuals, including former Prime Minister Rafik Hariri, and injured 226 others.