Lawyer at the Beirut Bar, Emile Aoun, is assigned as lead  attorney and lawyer at the Paris Bar, Anta Guissé, as co-counsel to defend Ayyash in connection with the attacks against Former Ministers Marwan Hamadeh and Elias El-Murr and the assassination of former secretary of the Lebanese Communist Party, George Hawi.

“Trial Chamber II decided that Mr Ayyash would be tried in absentia. The following day, the Pre-Trial Judge, Judge Daniel Fransen, requested the Head of Defense Office, Ms Dorothée Le Fraper du Hellen, to assign Counsel to represent the interests and rights of the Accused,” the statement read.

“The Defense Office will provide all the legal, logistical and financial support necessary to the newly constituted Defense team to enable it to fulfill its Defense mandate,” it added.

Ayyash is accused of involvement in the assassination of former secretary of the Lebanese Communist Party, George Hawi, and the attempted assassinations of former ministers Marwan Hamadeh and Elias Murr.