UN-backed tribunal publishes Hariri indictment

The Hague: The UN-backed tribunal investigating the 2005 assassination of former Lebanese prime minister Rafiq Hariri said Wednesday it had published the full indictment.

"The pre-trial judge has ordered that his decision confirming the indictment related to the 14 February 2005 attack, as well as the indictment itself, be made public," the Special Tribunal for Lebanon said, in order to "proceed to trial."

Tribunal prosecutor Daniel Bellemare welcomed the tribunal's order to unseal the indictment, saying preparations will push ahead for the trial of four Hezbollah members accused in the case.

"This order will finally inform the public and the victims about the facts alleged in the indictment regarding the commission of the crime that led to charging the four accused," Bellemare said in a statement.

Judge Daniel Fransen last month ordered confidentiality around the names and charges against Salim Ayyash, 47, Mustafa Badreddine, 50, Hussein Anaissi, 37 and Assad Sabra, 34, be partially dropped.

Ayyash and Badreddine face charges of "committing a terrorist act by means of an explosive device" and homicide, while Anaissi and Sabra faced charges of conspiring to commit the same acts.