By Xinhua
Beirut : An international court to try those suspected to be involved in the murder of Lebanese ex-premier Rafik Hariri has come into force.
"UN Security Council Resolution 1757 concerning the establishment of an international tribunal to examine the assassination of Rafik Hariri came into force Sunday," Lebanese Justice Minister Charles Rizk said in a statement.
Lebanon's Higher Judicial Council will convene Monday to take the necessary procedures on the implementation of the resolution, the statement added.
The Judicial Council will prepare a 12-judge list to be submitted to UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon to choose who to join the tribunal.
Hariri was killed along with 22 others in a massive bombing explosion in downtown Beirut on Feb 14, 2005. Many Lebanese suspect Syria was behind the attack, but Damascus has vehemently denied involvement.
The UN Security Council had adopted the tribunal resolution on May 30 for trying the suspects in Hariri's assassination under Chapter VII of the UN Charter, after the Lebanon failed to adopt it through the country's constitutional institutions due to a sharp political crisis.
The country's majority welcomed the resolution while the opposition viewed it as "illegitimate and illegal."