Bellemare Will Return in a Few Days; Politicians Must Stop Predictions
The spokeswoman of Special Tribunal for Lebanon chief prosecutor Daniel Bellmare dismissed Sunday reports that an "indictment" in the 2005 assassination of ex-Premier Rafik Hariri was expected soon.
"Those who are initiating such reports are mere predictors," Radhia Ashouri told BBC in an interview.
She called on Lebanese politicians "not to jump into conclusions, predict dates for an indictment or predict the content of such indictment."
Ashouri insisted that investigations into Hariri”s murder were "top secret and the tribunal does not give out information to anyone."
She said that Bellemare was expected back in The Hague in the coming few days.
"There is no set deadline for an indictment. But this does not at all mean that the prosecutor does not see a need to inform the Lebanese public on whether there is one or not," Ashouri said.
She denied claims the investigation was "politicized."
"We are not a political side and we have never and will never be influenced by politics," she said.
Meanwhile, An Nahar newspaper quoted diplomatic sources as saying that debate surrounding the tribunal appears as if "some received an order to initiate a campaign against the tribunal.