Lebanon tribunal invites new accused in Hariri case to appear before court

The Special Tribunal for Lebanon Monday announced the confirmation of an indictment accusing Hassan Habib Merhi of involvement in the 14 February 2005 Beirut attack in which ex-Lebanese Prime Minister Rafiq Hariri, among others, was killed. Four other accused are to be tried in absentia and that trial has a tentative start date of 13 January 2014, David Baragwanath, President of the Special Tribunal of Lebanon, said in a statement, at the Hague. The Lebanese authorities have so far been unable to locate Merhi. "I have therefore ordered the service of the indictment in alternative modes, which include public advertisement. If, following such procedures, Mr Merhi has not been brought under the Tribunal's authority, the Trial Chamber will be asked to decide whether to initiate proceedings against him in absentia," he said. "So I address both Mr Merhi and also the people of Lebanon. As to Mr Merhi, I invite you to consider whether you are prepared to face the Special Tribunal ... As to the people of Lebanon, we seek your help and support in properly performing our tasks," noted the statement. It added that "international justice must be pursued to completion. Various attempts to obstruct it have failed. All of our judges, in each of whom I have complete confidence, remain determined to carry out our responsibilities."