April 25, 2009 - Naharnet - Four Generals Allowed to Meet, Hold Private Talks with Lawyers

Four detained Lebanese generals were allowed Saturday to hold unmonitored talks with their defense lawyers and to meet together for two hours daily, in compliance with a decree by head of the Special Tribunal for Lebanon.
The high-ranking generals are being held in Lebanon's notorious prison in connection to the 2005 assassination of ex-Premier Rafik Hariri.

The interior ministry announced Saturday that it received from the justice ministry a copy of the "Order on Conditions of Detention" issued by STL head Antonio Cassesse.

The ministry said it immediately referred the order to the general directorate of the internal security forces for implementation of Cassesse's decision.

Later Saturday, the defense lawyers of military intelligence chief Raymond Azar and security services director Jamil Sayyed were allowed to hold private meetings with their clients. The four generals also met on the same day.
STL's prosecutor has until April 27 to recommend whether to release the generals, the justice minister said Friday.
STL judge, Daniel Fransen of Belgium, last week gave prosecutor Daniel Bellemare until April 27 to give his grounds for the generals' release or continued detention.
"After the 27th, the judge... will take a decision and call on the Lebanese authorities either to release the detainees or to hold on to them for the tribunal," Justice Minister Ibrahim Najjar has told AFP.
A Lebanese investigating judge earlier this month lifted arrest warrants against the four generals jailed since 2005 in connection with the murder.
However, the judge also ordered that the four remain in jail pending a decision by the STL on their fate.
According to An Nahar daily, Fransen is expected to make a final decision on the fate of the four on Monday.