Lebanese PM Najib Mikati announced that Lebanon’s share of STL funding for 2011 and 2012 was wired this Wednesday morning . The funding was reportedly arranged again as last December.
Last year Mikati asked Central Bank governor Riad Salameh to open an account for the High Commission for Relief and have the funds transferred through it on behalf of the Lebanese government . $ 32 million and 134 thousand U.S. dollars was wired as Lebanon’s share for funding STL last December.
Earlier today the cabinet decided not to include the funding of the Special Tribunal for Lebanon in the 2012 draft state budget.
The Special Tribunal for Lebanon was created by the United Nations Security Council in 2007 , at the request of the Government of Lebanon to investigate the 2005 assassination of former Prime Minister Rafik Hariri.
On January 12, 2011 Hezbollah and allies with the help of the Shiite minister that represented president Michel Suleiman in the cabinet overthrew the government of former PM Saad Hariri over the Special Tribunal for Lebanon’s imminent indictment.
STL issued the indictments and arrest warrants on June 30, 2011. Two of the suspects Mustafa Badreddine and Salim Ayyash are reportedly senior members of Hezbollah and played leading roles in the assassination while the other two Hezbollah members Hassan Aneissy, also known as Hassan Issa, and Assad Sabra played a supporting role in the execution of the assassination.
“No Lebanese government will be able to carry out any arrests whether in 30 days, 30 years or even 300 years.” Hezbollah chief Hassan Nasrallah said following the announcement of the indictments.
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