THE HAGUE — A member of Lebanon’s militant group Hezbollah has been given five life jail terms in absentia for his involvement in the assassination of former Prime Minister Rafik Hariri.

Judges at the Netherlands-based Special Tribunal for Lebanon (STL) said Salim Ayyash played a central role in the bomb attack in Beirut in 2005 that killed Hariri.

Ayyash was found guilty earlier this year of involvement in the assassination.

The court acquitted three other defendants, who like Ayyash were tried in absentia.

“Ayyash participated in an act of terrorism that caused mass murder. His role ... was vital to the success of the attack," Presiding Judge David Re said.

“The trial chamber is satisfied that it should impose the maximum sentence for each of the five crimes of life imprisonment, to be served concurrently," Re added.

The court has issued an international arrest warrant for Ayyash for the "extremely grave" crimes.

The tribunal convicted Ayyash in August of being a co-perpetrator in five charges linked to the suicide truck bombing on Beirut's seafront on February 14, 2005. The huge blast killed Hariri and 21 others and injured 226.

Hezbollah denied any involvement, and the judges said no evidence implicated the militant group's leaders.

Hariri was a businessman who served as prime minister of Lebanon five times following the 1975-90 civil war. His last term in office ended in 2004. — Agencies