Special Tribunal for Lebanon Dismisses Motion Regarding Jurisdiction in Second Ayyash Case [1]
On September 10, 2020, Trial Chamber II of the Special Tribunal for Lebanon released a decision [3] confirming its jurisdiction to hear the case against Salim Jamil Ayyash. Mr. Ayyash was previously indicted and found guilty [4] by the Tribunal for his involvement in “the Hariri attack.” This second case relates to Mr. Ayyash’s alleged involvement in “three attacks against prominent Lebanese political figures” that the prosecution asserts “are ‘connected’ to the 14 February 2005 attack with killed Mr Hariri.” The defense filed a preliminary motion challenging the Pre-Trial Judge’s finding that the Tribunal had jurisdiction. However, a press release [5] issued by the Tribunal states that “Trial Chamber II found that there is no reason to decline to exercise its jurisdiction … as it considers that the requirements of Article 1 of the Statute have been met when it comes to the connectedness between the three attacks pleaded in the indictment and the 14 February 2005 attack.” In light of this finding, the motion was dismissed.