Leidschendam:  Judges at the UN-backed tribunal set up to prosecute the assassins of former Lebanese prime minister Rafik Hariri have changed the court's rules to clarify when a trial in absentia can be staged if suspects refuse to surrender.

The court has not yet issued any indictments in the case, but the changes appear to foreshadow concerns that once prosecutors do name suspects they may not be able to have them arrested.

Under changes to the Special Tribunal for Lebanon's rules announced on Friday, a trial in absentia could be ordered around 60 days after an indictment is issued.

The court already had provisions for trying suspects in their absence, but had not set time limits for when it could happen.

Last week the leader of Hezbollah said his group will "cut the hand" of anyone who tries to arrest its members.

Court biased

Hassan Nasrallah has said he expects members of his group to be indicted in the assassination, but insists Hezbollah was not involved. Nasrallah has urged Lebanese not to cooperate with the probe. He claims the court is biased against Hezbollah and poisoned by "false witnesses" who misled the investigation.

Meanwhile, a senior UN official said on Thursday he expected a court probing the assassination of Hariri to issue indictments "in the coming months".

Diplomats and Lebanese officials have been predicting privately that the potentially explosive indictments could come late this year or early next. Comments by Michael Williams, UN special coordinator for Lebanon, were among the few public statements on the timing.

"I, like others, expect to see indictments from the special tribunal in the coming months," Williams told reporters after briefing the UN Security Council on Lebanon. "I don't know whether that's next week or next year."

Lebanese politicians fear a major crisis, and possible relapse into violence, if that proves to be the case, but Williams said he did not expect tribunal action to be delayed by political considerations.

Israeli withdrawal

Williams also welcomed a decision by the Israeli cabinet on Wednesday to withdraw troops from part of a village on the Lebanese border that has long inflamed tensions with Hezbollah. The UN has ruled that the northern part of Ghajar village is located in Lebanon and has long urged Israel to pull out.

Williams said he and Major-General Alberto Asarta plan to visit Israel early next week to discuss future arrangements for Ghajar.