Judiciary to Respond to Attacks Regarding Generals Case
Justice Minister Ibrahim Najjar said the Higher Judicial Council is to respond to attacks launched against by various politicians concerning the recent release of the four generals by the Special Tribunal for Lebanon (STL).
Najjar said the judiciary is to pay added attention to the issue of arresting citizens, stressing the point that the judicial system is to be strengthened and shielded against any form of political intervention.
In an interview with the Lebanese Broadcasting Corporation (LBC TV) on Friday, Najjar said the decision for releasing the four generals does not make them innocent "because the pre-trial judge Daniel Fransen does not have the right to issue such a decision (releasing the generals) without a request by STL prosecutor Daniel Bellemare."
Najjar said that he does not know of any Lebanese judicial official that wishes to resign over this issue.
"Cabinet has left the matter to the Higher Judicial Council to decide on the issue," Najjar said.
Regarding the case of escaped Hussein Jaafar (wanted over the attack on the military in northern Lebanon two weeks ago), Najjar said that his arrest in Turkey is positive adding that he has requested from Turkish authorities to ensure the identity of the arrested individual.
Jaafar who escaped from Lebanon to Syria and then to Turkey following the attack on the military, was handed over to Syrian authorities by Turkey, the daily pan-Arab al-Hayat said Saturday the Lebanon is working with Syrian authorities to extradite him back to Lebanon.