Hague tribunal continues trial of Hezbollah commander despite reported death

The Hague-based Special Tribunal for Lebanon decided yesterday that it would continue the trial of Mustafa Badreddine, the Hezbollah military commander who is accused of participating in the assassination of former Lebanese Prime Minister Rafik Hariri, despite his reported death.

The court is waiting to obtain “enough evidence” proving his death in Syria which was announced by in mid-May.

Both defence and prosecution teams told the court they believed the evidence proved that Badreddine is dead.

But in a two-to-one decision, the trial chamber of the Special Tribunal for Lebanon said the deceased Hezbollah commander would continue to stand trial.

“The trial chamber does not believe that sufficient evidence has yet been presented to convince it that the death of Mustafa Amine Badreddine has been proved to the requisite standard,” the Special Tribunal for Lebanon’s judges said.

“The trial will therefore continue pending the receipt of further information we anticipate from the government of Lebanon.”

Badreddine was being tried in absentia as Hezbollah had refused to hand over its commander, along with four other defendants in the case.