16 Year Old Murder Case Coming To An Unexpected Closure

Rafic Hariri, Former Lebanon Prime Minister

It has been exactly 16yrs, 3months and some since the Beirut explosion and subsequent murder of Prime Minister Rafic Hariri including 21 others.

The UN’s response to his mudrer was to set up a Special Tribunal for Lebanese to investigate. After a whirlwind of one accusation scandal to another one of the private investigators, Wissam Eid was assassinated after then brigadier Wissam Al-Hassan found evidence incrinating the Hezbollah group in Lebanon 2008.

Finally 12yrs after Salon Ayyash from the group was arrested and three other formerly detained released on account of lack of evidence but their leader Hassan Nasrallah denied involvement and release of Ayyash.

But this seen to be neverending rollercoaster may actually come to an end as the UN tribunal currently persecuting their latest suspects; the four Syrian forces accused of killing then Lebanse present Rafik Harere in 2015 announced impromptu impending closure due to financial constraints. 

Without cash injection, the Tribunal will be unable to operate beyond July 2021 because according to the funding agreement 51% of their budget comes from voluntary contributions, the rest offset by Lebanon but the UN had to cover most of the Lebanese share in March 2021. The Secretary General of the UN Antonio Guterres has been notified that the case in its final appeal stage and others due for trial will be abandoned unless the tribunal can secure enough donations before the end of July 2021.

Source :Jamila Abdul Wahab

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