SHOTLIST

31 May 2007

1. Various of street traffic in Beirut

2. Various of people offering sweets and flowers to passers by - a traditional celebration custom in Lebanon

3. Newspaper stand

4. Newspapers

5. Newspaper headline reading: (English) "UN approves Hariri court"

6. SOUNDBITE: (Arabic) No Name Given, Beirut Resident, Vox pop:

"We hope the international tribunal will be fair and seeking justice without a political agenda. And to put a stop to political assassinations."

7. People reading newspapers

8. Exterior of prime minister's office building

9. SOUNDBITE: (English) Ahmad Fatfat, Lebanese Youth and Sports Minister:

"We hope that this tribunal will put a final point for all political assassination in Lebanon but it needs the help and the support and the collaboration of the Syrian regime. We hope that they will do and if they will do it will be a new stage to a good relation, to restore the relation, between Lebanon and Syria. And also for Lebanese, for opposition in Lebanon, we say it will never be a political tool. It is really for all the Lebanese a victory and it will be to help Lebanon to consolidate its democracy and freedom."

10. Various of construction on road where Prime Minister Rafik Hariri was assassinated

11. Lebanese army forces providing security at site which has been closed since assassination

30 May 2007

12. Fireworks

13. People dancing in the streets

14. Car loaded with people chanting and waving flags

15. SOUNDBITE (Arabic), Saad Hariri, Son of the assassinated Prime minister Rafik Hariri:

"We are not demanding justice for the sake of revenge. We are demanding justice for the sake of accountability and for the sake of truth, which should be kept as a sacred trust in the conscience of all Lebanese. We should all participate in securing the International Tribunal to protect Lebanon."

16. Saad Hariri arriving at his father's grave

17. Mid shot of Saad Hariri praying at his father's grave

18. Wide of grave

STORYLINE

There was cautious optimism in Beirut on Thursday as supporters of assassinated former Prime Minister Rafik Hariri welcomed the United Nations Security Council vote to unilaterally establish an international tribunal to prosecute suspects in the slain leader's assassination.

"We hope the international tribunal will be fair and seeking justice without a political agenda. And to put a stop to political assassinations," said one Beirut resident.

Ahmad Fatfat, Lebanese Youth and Sports Minister welcomed the decision saying that he hoped the that the tribunal will put an end to all political assassination in Lebanon.

"But it needs the help and the support and the collaboration of the Syrian regime." he said, adding that if Syria chooses to cooperate with the tribunal "it will be a new stage to a good relation, to restore the relation, between Lebanon and Syria."

The slain leader's supporters danced in the streets on Wednesday following the announcement of the Un decision and his son, Saad Hariri, said the resolution was a turning point in Lebanon that would protect the country from further assassinations.

"We are not demanding justice for the sake of revenge. We are demanding justice for the sake of accountability and for the sake of truth, which should be kept as a sacred trust in the conscience of all Lebanese. We should all participate in securing the International Tribunal to protect Lebanon," Hariri said.

The vote on the resolution was 10-0 with five abstentions - Russia, China, South Africa, Indonesia and Qatar.

That was one more than the nine votes needed for passage.

The five countries that abstained objected to establishing the tribunal without approval of Lebanon's parliament and to putting the resolution under Chapter 7 of the UN Charter which deals with threats to international peace and allows militarily enforcement.

But none opposed the tribunal itself.

A UN investigation has implicated Syria in Hariri's assassination in 2005 when the Syrian army controlled Lebanon.

Syria has denied involvement.

The issue of an international tribunal has since fuelled a deep political conflict between Saniora's Western-backed government and the Syrian-backed, Hezbollah-led opposition.

The conflict has taken on an increasingly sectarian tone and erupted into street battles, killing 11 people in recent months.

Hariri's assassination sparked huge protests against Syria, which was widely seen as culpable. Syria denied involvement but was forced to withdraw its troops from Lebanon, ending a 29-year presence.

The initial UN investigator said the complexity of Hariri's assassination suggested the Syrian and Lebanese intelligence services played a role, but the probe is continuing.

Four Lebanese generals, top pro-Syrian security chiefs, have been under arrest for 20 months, accused of involvement in Hariri's murder.

SHOTLIST:

Beirut

1. Various of city

2. Lebanese army military vehicle in Beirut street

3. Lebanese army soldier

4. Newspaper stand

5. Man reading newspaper

6. Close-up newspaper headline: "Government approve international tribunal''

7. Various of newspaper stand

8. People walking in street

9. SOUNDBITE (Arabic): Voxpop (no name given):

"No, I am not for an international tribunal because it is coming from an unconstitutional government that is not representing all sects. If it was representing all Lebanese than maybe I will agree to tribunal.''

10. Women sitting on seaside

11. SOUNDBITE (Arabic): Voxpop (no name given):

"I am for an international tribunal to find out who assassinated former prime minister Rafik Hariri and all who have been assassinated and for justice to arrive.''

12. Lebanese Health Minister Mohamed Gawad Khalifa (just resigned) coming down stairs

13. SOUNDBITE (English): Mohamed Gawad Khalifa, recently resigned Lebanese Health Minister:

"It went like a provocative issue, provocative thing and specially at a time when the President and the speaker - two main pillars in the country - again in addition to the Prime Minister, definitely without doubt saying that what is coming from this government is unconstitutional.''

14. Exterior of church in Beirut

15. Various of service in Beirut church

Bekfaya

16. Various of people paying condolences to the Gemayal family

STORYLINE:

Lebanon's US-backed government Saturday approved an international tribunal for suspects in the 2005 assassination of former prime minister Rafik Hariri, despite warnings of mass protests by its opponent Hezbollah.

Last-ditch attempts to reach a compromise between the government and the pro-Syrian camp, led by Hezbollah, failed as the Cabinet moved forward with its meeting on the UN-created court.

US-backed Prime Minister Fuad Saniora had offered to put off the contentious Cabinet vote for several days if six pro-Hezbollah ministers who quit the government earlier this month returned.

Hezbollah demands that the government be changed to give it and its allies more power, or else it will launch mass protests to topple Saniora.

People on the streets of Beirut were divided in their opinion following the announcement.

One person said "No, I am not for an international tribunal because it is coming from an unconstitutional government that is not representing all sects. If it was representing all Lebanese than maybe I will agree to tribunal.''

Another's view was that "I am for an international tribunal to find out who assassinated former prime minister Rafik Hariri and all who have been assassinated and for justice to arrive.''

Hezbollah and Lebanon's pro-Syrian president, Emile Lahoud, denounced the Cabinet's approval of the tribunal.

Lahoud called the approval "null and void," according to a statement from his office.

But former Lebanese Health Minister Mohamed Gawad Khalifa - who has only recently resigned from his post - said he thought the issue was a controversial one.

People continued to pay their condolences to the family of slain Lebanese Industry Minister Pierre Gemayel in the town of Bekfaya.

Gemayel's assassination on Tuesday was the most recent in a string of attacks that have killed five other prominent anti-Syrian figures.

SHOTLIST:

1. Exterior of the Special Tribunal for Lebanon (STL) building

2. Wide of Lebanese supporters for the STL outside the building

3. Close of woman carrying picture of murdered former Prime Minister Rafik Hariri and a poster showing the scales of justice

4. Mid of supporters holding Lebanese flags

5. Various of media at first day of STL hearing

6. Wide of news conference where the STL logo is revealed showing scales of justice

7. SOUNDBITE: (English) Patricia O'Brien, Under-Secretary-General for Legal Affairs, the Legal Counsel, United Nations:

"It's critical that the people of Lebanon see that this tribunal is an independent and impartial institution. Its establishment constitutes a strong signal that such assassinations and other terrorist attacks will not be tolerated and that impunity cannot be allowed to persist."

8. Wide of news conference

9. SOUNDBITE: (English) Daniel Bellemare, prosecutor, Special Tribunal for Lebanon:

"The creation of this Special Tribunal for Lebanon is the result of a tragedy - the killing of a former Prime-minister and of other 22 persons. By the very nature of its mandate, the STL is the first international anti-terrorist tribunal. The creation of tribunal was a political decision. Its operation, however, is and must remain above politics, governed by an impartial and principled approach based on the rule of law."

10. Wide of news conference as Bellemare returns to seat

11. Mid of media

12. Wide of news conference

13. Close of Bellemare leaving podium and shaking hands with other people on stage

STORYLINE

An international tribunal to prosecute suspects in the slaying of former Lebanese Prime Minister Rafik Hariri opened on Sunday in Leidschendam, the Netherlands, with a moment's silence and a pledge to impartially investigate the politically charged case.

Speaking at the opening ceremony of the Special Tribunal for Lebanon (STL) Patricia O'Brien, the Under-Secretary-General for Legal Affairs, within the United Nations, said it was critical that the people of Lebanon saw the tribunal as an "independent and impartial institution."

She said its establishment was intended to send a "strong signal that such assassinations and other terrorist attacks will not be tolerated and that impunity cannot be allowed to persist."

Prosecutor Daniel Bellemare said the tribunal was borne out of the tragedy of Hariri's murder and that of 22 other people.

Bellemare said by the very nature of its mandate, the STL was the first international anti-terrorist tribunal.

He said its creation was a political decision but its operation, however, "is and must remain above politics, governed by impartial and principal approach based on the rule of law."

Bellemare said he would continue his investigations without political interference and would call for Lebanese authorities to turn over four pro-Syrian generals who are suspects in the case.

Bellemare, a Canadian, said he could issue several indictments as a result of his wide-ranging investigation into the 14 February 2005 suicide bombing that killed Hariri and 22 others on a Beirut seaside street, but he would not say when.

The four generals led Lebanon's police, intelligence service and an elite army unit at the time of the assassination.

They are the only suspects in custody, though they have not been formally charged.

The new court has a wing ready to detain suspects in a Hague jail that already holds Bosnian Serb leader Radovan Karadzic and former Liberian President Charles Taylor, among other international war crimes suspects.

In Lebanon, hundreds of Hariri supporters gathered near his tomb in downtown Beirut where they watched the opening session from two giant screens.

Earlier, dozens of anti-Syrian lawmakers laid wreaths on Hariri's tomb and those of his bodyguards and aides who were killed with him four years ago.

As prime minister, Hariri, a billionaire businessman, was credited with rebuilding downtown Beirut after the 1975-90 civil war, and with trying to limit Syria's influence.

Many in Lebanon believe Syria was behind the assassination but Damascus denies any involvement.

After the assassination, mass street protests in Lebanon and international pressure forced Syria to withdraw its troops from its neighbour after a 29-year presence.

The court was set up by the UN Security Council in 2007 and comprises seven foreign and four Lebanese judges who have yet to take office.

It is funded by Lebanon and UN member states and based in the Netherlands to ensure the safety of staff and an impartial trial.

It will use Lebanese law, but unlike Lebanese courts cannot impose the death penalty.

Unusually for an international tribunal, it can hold trials in absentia.

SHOTLIST:

++NIGHT SHOT++

1. Pan of offices of the Lebanese Prime Minister Fuad Saniora

++INTERIOR SHOTS++

2. Saniora and Lebanese ministers standing for a minute's silence after the death of anti-Syrian legislator Walid Eido.

3. Saniora and ministers sit

4. Various of cabinet meeting

5. Saniora speaking at news conference

6. SOUNDBITE (Arabic) Fuad Saniora, Lebanese Prime Minister:

"The series of assassinations against the deputies, ministers and those who work in the political, educational and information domains are continuing in an attempt to affect the strength of the majority."

7. Cutaway of cameraman

8. SOUNDBITE (Arabic) Fuad Saniora, Lebanese Prime Minister:

"We are calling the council of foreign ministers of the Arab league for an extraordinary meeting, and to show responsibility towards Lebanon, towards its people and for the future of freedom. Also we are requesting the technical and security assistance of the United Nations to prevent these ugly crimes and to enlarge the international investigations to include this new terrorist crime which was committed after the ratification of the international tribunal (a few) days ago."

9. Close up of camera lens

10. Saniora leaving media conference

++NIGHT SHOTS++

11. Fire truck inside the cordoned off area near the explosion site with people walking around

12. Damaged vehicle in front of cordoned off area

13. Various of damaged building

14. Mid of fire officers directing fire truck backwards

STORYLINE:

The Lebanese government held an emergency meeting on Wednesday evening after anti-Syrian legislator Walid Eido and at least nine other people were killed when a bomb-rigged car, rocked Beirut's seafront earlier in the day.

The 65-year-old lawmaker, Walid Eido, was the seventh opponent of Damascus to be killed in two years in the conflict-ridden country.

Lebanese prime minister Fuad Saniora and government ministers stood at the Lebanese parliament for a minute's silence during their cabinet meeting.

After the meeting Fuad Saniora declared Thursday a national day of mourning and called for an emergency meeting of Arab leaders and for the international community to help in the investigation into Eido's killing.

"The series of assassination against the deputies, ministers and those who work in the political, educational and information domain are continuing in an attempt to affect the strength of the majority," said Saniora.

Saniora also called on the United Nations to assist Lebanon with their security so they could prevent what he called, "ugly crimes," from happening in the future.

"We are requesting the technical and security assistance of the United Nations to prevent these ugly crimes and to enlarge the international investigations to include this new terrorist crime which was committed after the ratification of the international tribunal (a few) days ago.''

Eido's son, two bodyguards and six others were also killed in the explosion, security officials said. Eleven others were wounded, they said.

Investigations were still taking place at the site of the explosion on Wednesday night with many security officials and fire trucks at the scene

The explosion occurred less than two kilometres (less than a mile) from the site of a suicide truck bombing that killed former anti-Syrian Prime Minister Rafik Hariri and 22 others in February 2005.

The UN Security Council earlier this month ordered the creation of a tribunal to prosecute those responsible for Hariri's assassination, despite the opposition from Syrian-backed groups in Lebanon.

The slain lawmaker, Walid Eido, was a prominent supporter of the tribunal.

Many Lebanese have accused Syria of being behind the slayings, a claim Damascus denies.

Eido's supporters quickly blamed Syria for Wednesday's assassination.