What we are listening to so far is a step by step catalogue of every accusation and a summary of the conclusion for each. The verdict will come at the end summarizing all the conclusions. 
One single direct connection will be enough for the verdict to be politically significant. Very interesting what they could be building up to. Keep listening and don't jump to conclusions yet. Even at the end of this it will take a few days for the results be interpreted.
I am amazed though that the STL considers Ghassan Bin Jiddo as a credible witness. There can be several conclusions using the same evidence unconstrained by the rules of the Tribunal. So far the connection is not denied but the extent of it is being discussed.
The irony is that the Hizballah camp is seeking cover now from the verdict of the STL defending its credibility after attacking it for so long, delegitimizing it and actively attempting to sabotage it.
One thing to be aware of: This is a summary of the @STLebanon judgement that runs into 2600 pages. The last part, the summary of the summary will give the overall verdict. Now they are going through every possible accusation and giving their conclusions on each. Patience.
Now we are getting some results - but all have to admit how thorough and detailed the judgement shows the process to be. I think we’ve got “conspiracy to commit” but so far only for Ayyash. Enough for me.
We will keep interpreting the @STLebanon judgement for years, so far from the immediate reactions every person is finding in it a confirmation of what they already believe. Including me.
For those looking for a one word or two word summary as in Guilty and Not Guilty. The verdict is overall "Guilty" in 2641 pages, 5 volumes and includes several appendices and a 149 page summary with footnotes referring to the larger document.
The documents will be extremely valuable because they contain an enormous amount of facts established with the utmost of investigative rigor and can be interpreted by historians and political scientists who will be unconstrained by the "beyond reasonable doubt" of the STL judges
For the critics of the STL, the respectable ones like @nadimhoury, @NizarSaghieh and @BeirutCalling, not the sabotage critics, they should see value in this being the most thorough investigation and judgement ever for a crime of terrorism both in Lebanon and internationally.
The facts established by the tribunal are very significant even when they do not lead to a beyond reasonable doubt judgement they amount to an indictment of both the Syrian regime and Hizballah in the crime.
Although this is not the job of the STL it has contributed to the Truth in the greatest possible detail and the judgement will be a reference document of immense political significance. Nobody can ignore its findings and they should be spread and analyzed thoroughly.
Also international dimension. France and the US engagement with Assad by the end of 2006, @SpeakerPelosi and @JohnKerry's visits @Sarkozy invitation plus lobby against the STL by influential people like @Rob_Malley considering it a hindrance to engagement with Assad.
Three lessons for US policy in this election year: 1/3 is that engaging with tyrants like Assad only encourages them to become worse; he felt empowered to destroy the country and destabilize the region confident that he was given a free hand from the US.
Lesson 2/3 Ignoring a problem will only make it come back bigger: "redeployment" and eventually engagement with Assad giving him a free 5hand in Lebanon after 1 ton 1983 Marine Barracks bomb and Hostage crisis led to the 2.5 ton 2005 Rafic Hariri bomb and now a 2700 ton one.
3/3 The US cannot divorce interests from principles without undermining both. Engagement with Iran and giving the IRGC a free hand after the JCPOA ignoring its role in Syria, Iraq and Lebanon has been extremely costly.
The @STLebanon as a Tribunal has issued a verdict on an individual #Hezbollah member; its report with all the facts puts in the hand of historians, academics and investigative journalists enough solid facts to show that #Hezbollah_is_guilty along with Iran and the Assad regime.
This has implications for Lebanon, Syria, Palestine, Iraq and Yemen and everywhere that the IRGC has an active militia with an agenda of perpetual war through an Axis of Resistance to any attempt at peace in he region.
The @thebeirutbanyan episode with @OlgaKavran of the @STLebanon is a must to understand the context and the complexity podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the…
My conversation with @OlgaKavran in the @LAUNYHQ webinar
unroll @threadreaderapp
