The U.N. report investigating the assassination of Lebanon’s anti-Syrian former prime minister Rafik Hariri paints the picture of systematic obstruction and likely involvement by top Syrian officials.
[… ] details from a report submitted by UN investigator Detlev Mehlis reached the press, indicating that the Syrian and Lebanese intelligence services were likely involved in the assassination of Lebanon’s former prime minister Rafik Hariri.
The 25-page report from the German prosecutor and his team again accused Syria of trying to obstruct his probe when it demanded that they revise their findings after a crucial witness recanted his testimony.
“This was, at the least, an attempt to hinder the investigation internally and procedurally,” commented Mehlis.
Syria denies involvement in the Hariri blast and has also waged a campaign to discredit the commission, citing a Syrian witness, Husam Taher Husam, who recanted his testimony to the commission and said he had been bribed to frame Syria.
Mehlis said that recantation hadn’t affected his findings. In fact, he said, “the investigation has continued to develop multiple lines of inquiry which, if anything, reinforce this conclusion.”
According to Channel 2, the report urges Syria to detain its senior officers, suspected of involvement in the assassination. Among those Mehlis wants to interrogate, according to the report, is Syrian Foreign Minister Farouq al-Shara. The report names 19 Syrian and Lebanese officials who are suspected of involvement in the hit.
In addition, the report accuses Syria of burning intelligence documents pertaining to the assassination and methodically intimidating witnesses. Mehlis also claims that there are new witnesses who had followed Hariri prior to his assassination.
The latest claim of obstruction would be important because after Mehlis delivered his earlier report, the council had warned Syria that it would face further action – possibly including sanctions – if it didn’t cooperate fully.
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Lebanon has asked the Security Council to extend Mehlis’ commission for six months after its mandate expires on Thursday. The Security Council, whose approval would be required, is likely to agree to extend it until June 15
There’s further reason to not disband the commision, as another anti-Syrian Lebanese official met his fiery end today.
A car bomb killed Lebanese newspaper magnate and anti-Syrian legislator Gebran Tueni in Beirut on Monday, triggering an official call for a U.N. inquiry that split the government along sectarian lines.
Five Shi’ite Muslim ministers close to Syria and an ally of the pro-Syrian president suspended participation in the cabinet after it voted to seek a U.N. investigation into a series of assassinations that have rocked Lebanon over the past 14 months.
Tueni, publisher of the An-Nahar daily, was killed in a blast that destroyed his armoured car in mainly Christian east Beirut, the morning after he returned from Paris where he lived for several months because of assassination fears.
Several politicians blamed Syria, but Damascus denied any role and said the killing was an attempt to smear it hours before the release of a U.N. report into the February 14 killing of former Lebanese Prime Minister Rafik al-Hariri.
Syrian denials — yeah, those mean a damn thing.