Trial of the assassination of Rafic Hariri: a judgment that disappoints in Lebanon

Bahiya Hariri moved in front of the grave of her brother, Rafic Hariri, in Beirut on August 18, 2020. Alkis Konstantinidis / Reuters

Text by: RFI Follow

4 min

The Special Tribunal for Lebanon on Tuesday August 18 established the guilt of Salim Ayyash, a member of Hezbollah, in the assassination of former Prime Minister Rafic Hariri on February 14, 2005. Three of his alleged accomplices were acquitted . The court said there was no "evidence" of direct responsibility for the leadership of Syria and Hezbollah.

Publicity

Read more

Saad Hariri, who attended the hearing in The Hague in the Netherlands on Tuesday, August 18, accepted the Tribunal's verdict and demanded that justice be done, reports our correspondent in Beirut, Paul Khalifeh . The former Lebanese prime minister, who inherited the leadership of the Sunni community from his father, stressed that the members of the cell that carried out the attack came from the ranks of Hezbollah.

According to him, the time for political assassinations committed with impunity in Lebanon is over. The court has ruled, and on behalf of the family of former Prime Minister Rafik Hariri, and on behalf of the families of the martyrs and victims, we accept the court's decision  ," Saad Hariri told reporters afterwards. of the pronouncement of judgment.

Gray areas persist on this attack: who is the suicide bomber? How many people participated in the terrorist plot? Who loaded the van with 2,000 tonnes of explosives? Who ordered the crime? The Hariri case remains a huge puzzle, to which the Special Tribunal for Lebanon will have added only a few pieces, notes our correspondent in The Hague , Stéphanie Maupas . A part of “judicial truth” was nevertheless written, estimated one of the lawyers of the 70 victims at the end of the verdict.

Two of those responsible have been identified: Salim Ayash and Moustafa Baddredine. The latter died in action in Syria four years before this verdict. But both were members of Hezbollah. Even if no evidence points to the party leadership, the judges assured. There is no direct evidence against Syria. But a context, clues to read the motives of the perpetrators of the attack.

Rafic Hariri demanded too precisely the departure of Syrian troops from Lebanon. At national and international level. He will have gone too far, essentially estimated the judges. The sentence of the only culprit, who risks life imprisonment, will be pronounced in the coming weeks.

A “ modest ”, even “ ridiculous judgment for Hezbollah

In Lebanon, the verdict was met with disappointment, sometimes amazement, by supporters of Rafic Hariri . Former deputy Moustapha Allouche said he was disappointed that the accusation was directed against individuals and not against Hezbollah itself. Supporters of Rafic Hariri had gathered outside his grave in downtown Beirut, ahead of the announcement of the verdict. As the judgment was read by the President of the Tribunal, my faces scowled.

Hezbollah supporters and friends have invaded social networks to mock the International Tribunal, which has cost a billion dollars, for a result they deemed "  modest  " or even "  ridiculous  ". On Friday August 14, Hezbollah Secretary General Hassan Nasrallah said he would not be concerned by the Tribunal's verdict and called on his supporters not to react to it.

On the ground, no incident was reported between supporters of the two camps. The Lebanese army was massively deployed in front of Rafic Hariri's grave and in the districts of Beirut to prevent clashes between Sunnis and Shiites.

► (Re) listen: Marwan Hamadé: "We are waiting for the truth in today's verdict on Rafic Hariri"

Newsletter Receive all the international news directly in your mailbox

I subscribe

Follow all the international news by downloading the RFI application

google-play-badge_FR

  • Lebanon
  • International justice

On the same subject

Rafic Hariri assassination trial: one suspect found guilty, three others acquitted

Morning guest

Marwan Hamadé: "We are waiting for the truth in today's verdict on Rafic Hariri"

Assassination of Rafic Hariri: the verdict of the Special Tribunal for Lebanon expected in The Hague