The Special Tribunal for Lebanon (STL) confirmed last week that the trial in the probe into the assassination of former Lebanese Prime Minister Rafiq Hariri is expected to start mid-2012. In Lebanon there is hardly anyone who believes the suspects will appear in court.

The special tribunal for Lebanon (STL) last week handed over its first set of indictments and four arrest warrants after a six-year investigation into the murder of former Lebanese Prime Minister Rafik Hariri. While the names were supposed to be kept secret, they were quickly leaked to the media. At least two of the suspects, Mustafa Badreddine and Salim Ayyash, are high-ranking members of the militant group Hezbollah.