Salim Ayyash, the Only Convict in Hariri Assassination
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Beirut - Asharq Al-Awsat
The Special Tribunal for Lebanon (STL) convicted Salim Ayyash as the only culprit in the assassination of Lebanese former Prime Minister Rafik Hariri, after acquitting the defendants: Hussein Oneissi, Asad Sabra and Hassan Merhi. Born on November 10, 1963, Ayyash is from the southern town of Harouf in the Nabatiyeh district. His last known place of residence was in al-Jamous Street, Tabaja building, in the southern suburbs of Beirut, and in Al-Ayyash Complex in Harouf, according to the STL data. Ayyash, who reportedly has the US citizenship, worked at the Lebanese Civil Defense. He usually moved between the civil defense center in his hometown and the border town of Markaba. The STL said that the convict was in continuous cooperation with Hezbollah’s military leader, Mustafa Badreddine, with whom he coordinated the attacks that caused the killing of Internal Security Forces officer Ghazi Abu Karoum, and the former Secretary-General of the Communist Party, George Hawi, in addition to the assassination attempts against two ministers, Elias al-Murr and Marwan Hamadeh. Ayyash was convicted on five charges: conspiracy aimed at committing a terrorist act; committing a terrorist act by means of an explosive device, intentional homicide of Rafik Hariri with premeditation by using explosive materials, intentional homicide of 21 persons, in addition to Hariri, and attempted intentional homicide of 226 persons with premeditation by using explosive materials. Ayyash’s defense had presented documents about his departure from Lebanon in January 2005 to Saudi Arabia to perform the Hajj pilgrimage, however, the phone lines attributed to him in the prosecution’s decision were still operating in Beirut. However, the court questioned the accuracy of official Lebanese records, “because the pilgrims’ passports are collected and presented in groups to the General Security, which makes it impossible to confirm his travel in person.” Ayyash was tried in absentia, as he never appeared in public since the STL proceedings got underway. Some of his town residents were reportedly able to meet with him when he recently attended his father’s funeral, amid unprecedented security measures by Hezbollah.
from Asharq AL-awsat https://english.aawsat.com/home/article/2456886/salim-ayyash-only-convict-hariri-assassination
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