INTERNATIONAL COURT SENTENCES HEZBOLLAH OPERATIVE TO LIFE IN PRISON OVER HARIRI KILLING

Fri 11 December 2020:

The Special Tribunal for Lebanon on Friday sentenced Hezbollah operative Salim Ayyash to five counts of life in prison over the assassination of prime minister Rafik Hariri 15 years ago.

Ayyash was tried in his absence and is unlikely to ever serve the prison term. He received the maximum sentence for each of the five counts in the indictment. He can still appeal his sentence.

Hariri’s 2005 assassination in a massive car bomb blast rocked Lebanon, leading to huge protests and international pressure that resulted in the eventual withdrawal of Syrian troops from the country, 30 years after they entered during Lebanon’s civil war.

Hariri had been working to reduce Syria’s influence in Lebanese politics at the time of his killing on Valentine’s Day.

Hezbollah was Syria’s closest ally in Lebanon.

Ayyash was convicted for the “conspiracy of committing a terrorist act”, “committing a terrorist act by means of an explosive device” and the “intentional homicide” of Hariri with premeditation by using explosive materials.

Photos of Salim Ayyash released by the Special Tribunal for Lebanon in 2011. Ayyash is the only person convicted for the 2005 assassination of Lebanese prime minister Rafik Hariri. Special Tribunal for Lebanon / Reuters

In addition, he was also charged with the intentional homicide of 21 people and the attempted intentional homicide of 226 people.

Ayyash has never been apprehended and is thought to be under the protection of Hezbollah, whose leader Hasan Nasrallah has described him and three other Hezbollah members who stood trial for the crime – but were not found guilty – as “honourable men of the resistance”.

The STL issued a warrant for Ayyash’s arrest in 2011.

“Those who are shielding him from justice should surrender him to the special tribunal,” Trial Chamber Judge David Re said in his closing remarks.

Hezbollah leader Hassan Nasrallah has publicly defended Ayyash and the other suspects at the time, describing them as “honourable” men and said he would not hand them over to justice.

The trial chamber has issued a new arrest warrant for Ayyash, transmitted to authorities in Lebanon and the Netherlands, where the tribunal is located. A red notice will also be issued to Interpol to be sent to authorities worldwide to arrest Ayyash.

Despite the lack of direct evidence, Ayyash is believed to have acted jointly with the Syrian regime to eliminate Hariri, who opposed Syria’s control of Lebanon at the time of his killing.

“This political attack was aimed at eliminating a political obstacle or opponent. Although there is no direct evidence it most probably must have involved state actors. The state with the most to gain from Hariri’s elimination most likely was Syria,” Judge Janet Nosworthy said.

The Syrian regime had a heavy military presence in Lebanon and effectively controlled the country’s politics at the time of the assassination.

Hezbollah and Syria deny involvement in the killing, pointing to an Israeli conspiracy instead.

The Tribunal recommended that victims of the terrorist attack should be compensated through the establishment of a dedicated fund managed by the Tribunal and funded by international donors.

“This is achievable,” said Judge Re.

The hearing on August 18 was overshadowed by the blast at Beirut port two weeks earlier, which killed more than 200 people and wounded at least 6,500.

Prime Minister-designate Saad Hariri, Rafik’s son, had not commented on the verdict hours after it was announced.

Saad Hariri has participated in three coalition governments with Hezbollah in the past and is currently seeking to form his fourth government, which is set to include ministers selected by the party.

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