The Special Tribunal for Lebanon said Wednesday that the decision of pre-Trial Judge Daniel Fransen to set a deadline for challenging the court’s jurisdiction is another milestone towards trial in the case of ex-Premier Rafik Hariri’s assassination. Four Hizbullah members - Salim Ayyash, Mustafa Badreddine, Hussein Oneissi and Assad Sabra – have been indicted by the STL in Hariri’s Feb. 2005 killing.

The tribunal said on its twitter feed: “Pre-Trial Judge's decision to set a deadline for challenging STL jurisdiction is another milestone towards trial in the Ayyash et al case.” The “defense counsel can challenge the tribunal's legitimacy in court,” it said. [Naharnet]