International tribunal convicts Hezbollah member in 2005 Hariri murder but exonerates group’s leadership

The European Post (18 August 2020) – There is no evidence that Hezbollah’s leadership or the Syrian government were involved in the 2005 bombing that killed former Lebanese prime minister Rafik Hariri, the Special Tribunal for Lebanon found on Tuesday. But the tribunal found main defendant Salim Ayyash, a member of Hezbollah, guilty of involvement in Hariri’s death, FRANCE24 reports.

The verdict by the Special Tribunal for Lebanon (STL) – an international court based near The Hague, Netherlands – came more than 15 years after Lebanese Prime Minister Rafik Hariri was killed on February 14, 2005, along with 21 others in the huge explosion in the capital, Beirut.

“We accept the verdict of the tribunal and want justice to be implemented,” said Lebanon former Prime Minister Saad Hariri quoted by Al Jazeera, adding that he wants “just punishment” for the criminals.