BEIRUT: Judges at the Special Tribunal for Lebanon discussed Thursday whether to join the case of a Hezbollah member accused of complicity in the 2005 assassination of former Prime Minister Rafik Hariri with the trial of four other suspects which will begin next week.

The Defense for the four suspects argued joining the cases would require an adjournment of the trial, which is due to open on Jan. 16.

Also Thursday, lawyers for two Hezbollah suspects – Mustafa Badreddine and Hussein Oneisi – confirmed for the first time that the defense lawyers are ready to publicly discuss their case for the suspects’ innocence.

The two defense teams will deliver opening statement at the start of trial.

The court also discussed the process of presenting evidence before the chamber and the order of the prosecution’s witnesses.