UN chief closes tribunal founded to investigate 2005 assassination of former Lebanese prime minister

BEIRUT (AP) — U.N. Secretary-General Antonio Guterres has closed an international tribunal that was created to investigate the 2005 assassination of former Lebanese Prime Minister Rafik Hariri, the U.N. chief’s spokesperson said Sunday.

Over the years, the Special Tribunal for Lebanon held in absentia proceedings and found three members of the militant Hezbollah group guilty in connection with Hariri’s death in a massive Feb. 14, 2005 truck bombing.

The tribunal based in The Hague, Netherlands, sentenced the three — Salim Jamil Ayyash, Hassan Habib Merhi and Hussein Hassan Oneissi - to five concurrent sentences of life imprisonment.

Hezbollah officials have repeatedly denied that members of the group were involved in the suicide attack and refused to deal with the tribunal. The bombing killed Hariri and 21 others, and wounded 226.

The trial judges had said there was no evidence Hezbollah’s leadership or Syria were involved in the attack but noted the assassination happened as Hariri and his political allies were discussing whether to call for Syria to withdraw its forces from Lebanon.

U.N. spokesman Stephane Dujarric said in a statement Sunday that the Special Tribunal was established to try those responsible for the attack following the adoption of a 2007 Security Council resolution. The tribunal’s jurisdiction also extended to other attacks that were judicially determined to be “connected” to Hariri’s assassination.

At the beginning of 2023, Guterres extended the panel’s mandate until Dec. 31 “for the limited purpose of completion of the non-judicial residual functions” and “for the orderly closure of the Special Tribunal.” The secretary-general noted Sunday that those tasks had been accomplished and the tribunal shut down, Guterres said.

“The secretary-general expresses his deep appreciation for the dedication and hard work of the judges and staff at the Special Tribunal throughout the years,” Dujarric said. He added that Guterres also appreciated the support provided by the Lebanese government, the government of the Netherlands as the host state, and member states that participated in the tribunal’s management committee.