The United Nations probe into the murder of former Lebanese prime minister Rafiq Al-Hariri, has led to the arrests of high ranking pro-Syrian security officials in Lebanon. Various unconfirmed reports suggest that following the investigations of the Lebanese security officials, President Bashar Al-Asad might be accused as having been directly involved in the murder.
On the orders of the commission’s head Detlev Mehlis, the homes and premises of the suspects – Brig. Gen. Raymond Azar, Maj. Gen. Jamil A-Sayyid and ‘Ali Al-Hajj, as well as former MP Na’sir Qandil – were searched for evidence.
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Following the recent developments, U.S. Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice has held an urgent meeting with the U.N.’s special envoy to the Middle East, Terje Larson.
Rafiq Al-Hariri was murdered in a car bomb attack in February 2005. His killing hastened the withdrawal of the Syrian forces out of Lebanon, following international pressure.
The Security Council set up the U.N. International Independent Investigation Commission on April 7 to probe the bombing, after an initial U.N. fact-finding mission found Lebanon’s own probe seriously flawed and declared Syria primarily responsible for the political tension preceding the assassination.