Washington: Government Should be Committed to STL

US State Department deputy spokesperson Mark Toner said the confirmation of the indictments by the Special Tribunal for Lebanon (STL)’s indictment for the 2005 murder of Lebanon’s former Prime Minister Rafik Hariri is “an important step toward justice and ending impunity for political assassinations in Lebanon.” Hariri’s son hailed the indictment as a “historic” moment for Lebanon and urged the government of Najib Mikati to cooperate with the STL. “After many years of patience, of struggle… today, we witness a historic moment in Lebanese politics, justice and security,” Hariri said in a statement. The Netherlands-based Special Tribunal for Lebanon confirmed that it had issued an indictment Tuesday and submitted a copy and related arrest warrants to Lebanese authorities on Thursday. It disclosed neither the nature of the charges nor the suspects’ identities. Hariri was assassinated on 14 February 2005 when explosives equivalent to around 1000 kg of Trinitrotoluene (TNT) were detonated as his motorcade drove past the St. George Hotel in the Lebanese capital, Beirut.