Murder will not derail tribunal
Antoine Ghanim, a member of the Maronite Phalange party, and at least three others died when his car exploded in a Christian suburb of Beirut yesterday.
French Ambassador Jean-Maurice Ripert, president of the council, said the bombing was a crude attempt to scupper the Special Tribunal for Lebanon, which is being set up to prosecute those responsible for Hariri’s death.
“The Security Council condemns this new bombing as an attempt to destabilise Lebanon in this very crucial period,” he said.
Hariri was killed along with 22 others in a massive car bombing in downtown Beirut in February 2005.
UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon said last week a selection panel would recommend to him the names of judges to serve on the Special Tribunal for Lebanon, before the end of this year.
The Lebanese Government has forwarded a list of the 12 judges proposed by the country’s Supreme Council of the Judiciary, and Mr Ban says the list will remain sealed until the selection process of all judges starts.
A spokesperson for the Secretary General said the tribunal is forecast to cost $35 million (€21m) to run in its first 12 months, followed by $45m in its second year and $40m in its third year.
It will be up to the court to determine if other political killings in Lebanon were connected to Mr Hariri’s assassination and could be dealt with by the tribunal.
