The trial of four defendants accused of killing the former Prime Minister of Lebanon, Rafiq Hariri, and 21 other persons, in the context of a conspiracy to commit acts of terrorism in Beirut, opens today in The Hague. Iain Edwards has been assigned as counsel to represent the interests of Mustafa Badreddine, alleged to be the ringleader of the conspiracy. He is one of only 15 international defence counsel representing the alleged co-conspirators. The trial is likely to last for more than a year.