Dutch-based court files new charges against Hariri suspect
U.S. Law Review
A U.N.-backed court based in the Netherlands unveiled new charges Monday, including terrorism and intentional homicide, against a Hezbollah fighter who also is accused of assassinating former Lebanese Prime Minister Rafiq Hariri.
The Special Tribunal for Lebanon announced that a judge has confirmed a new five-count indictment accusing Salim Jamil Ayyash of three bombings targeting Lebanese politicians in 2004 and 2005. The court also issued a Lebanese and an international arrest warrant for Ayyash, whose whereabouts aren't known.
He was one of four Hezbollah fighters tried in absentia by the tribunal for allegedly masterminding the truck bombing that killed Hariri and 21 others and wounded more than 220 passers-by on Feb. 14, 2005. Judges haven't yet reached verdicts.
The new indictment, issued under seal in June, accuses Ayyash of three bombings on Oct. 1, 2004, June 21 and July 12, 2005, each targeting a different politician - Marwan Hamadeh, Georges Hawi and Elias El-Murr.
Hawi was killed and the other two politicians wounded in the attacks. Two other people also were killed and nearly 20 injured.
"Ayyash coordinated the preparation and execution of each of these attacks," the indictment says.
The indictment comes amid mounting pressure on Hezbollah by the U.S. that recently intensified sanctions against the group targeting for the first time two Hezbollah members of parliament in July.
Former Cabinet Minister Wiam Wahhab, a strong ally of Hezbollah, tweeted: "We are not surprised that the international tribunal issued its indictment to coincide Washington's attack (on Hezbollah) in which it is using all its weapons."
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USCIS Adjusting Premium Processing Fee
U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) announced today it is adjusting the premium processing fee for Form I-129, Petition for a Nonimmigrant Worker and Form I-140, Immigrant Petition for Alien Workers beginning on Oct. 1, 2018 to more effectively adjudicate petitions and maintain effective service to petitioners.
The premium processing fee will increase to $1,410, a 14.92 percent increase (after rounding) from the current fee of $1,225. This increase, which is done in accordance with the Immigration and Nationality Act, represents the percentage change in inflation since the fee was last increased in 2010 based on the Consumer Price Index for all Urban Consumers.
“Because premium processing fees have not been adjusted since 2010, our ability to improve the adjudications and service processes for all petitioners has been hindered as we’ve experienced significantly higher demand for immigration benefits. Ultimately, adjusting the premium processing fee will allow us to continue making necessary investments in staff and technology to administer various immigration benefit requests more effectively and efficiently,” said Chief Financial Officer Joseph Moore. “USCIS will continue adjudicating all petitions on a case-by-case basis to determine if they meet all standards required under applicable law, policies, and regulations.”
Premium processing is an optional service that is currently authorized for certain petitioners filing Forms I-129 or I-140. The system allows petitioners to request 15-day processing of certain employment-based immigration benefit requests if they pay an extra fee. The premium processing fee is paid in addition to the base filing fee and any other applicable fees, which cannot be waived.