U.N. Finds More Signs of Syrian Involvement in Lebanese Killing
12 December 2005
U.S. envoy calls new report on Rafiq Hariri's assassination "very disturbing"
By Judy Aita
Washington File United Nations Correspondent
United Nations -- The U.N. commission investigating the assassination of former Lebanese Prime Minister Rafiq Hariri says that new evidence strengthens previous findings implicating Syria in the attack, according to a new report released December 12.
U.S. Ambassador John Bolton called the report "very disturbing" and said that sections of the report do not show cooperation but "obstruction of justice by the government of Syria."
On October 31, the Security Council increased pressure on Syria to cooperate with the international investigation into the assassination of Hariri, unanimously adopting a tough resolution that required unconditional cooperation from Damascus with the inquiry. (See related article.)
According to the commission, in December, Syria started to cooperate with the investigation as demanded by the Security Council, but at a "slow pace." In contrast, the commission reported steady progress with Lebanese authorities.
"Syria should pursue its own investigation in an earnest and professional manner and respond to the commission in a timely way, fully and unconditionally, before it is determined whether it is complying in full with the provisions of [Security Council] resolution 1636," the report said.
The International Independent Investigation Commission (UNIIIC), headed by German prosecutor Detlev Mehlis, submitted its second report to the Security Council and recommended that its mandate be extended for another six months.
The first report, released October 20, implicated both Lebanese and Syrian high-ranking officials in the assassination of Hariri. (See related article.)
New witnesses have provided "credible, reliable evidence" pointing directly at perpetrators, sponsors and organizers and including the recruitment of special agents by the Lebanese and Syrian intelligence services, the commission said. "It strengthens the evidence confirmed to date against Lebanese officers in custody as well as high-ranked Syrian officers."
Mehlis "delineates quite extensively continued Syrian obstructionism and, even though some cooperation has been forthcoming, the substance of the Mehlis report shows failure by the government of Syria to comply with resolution 1636," Bolton said.
The investigation also has uncovered specific information about Syria's involvement in supplying arms and ammunition to groups and individuals in Lebanon to create public disorder in response to accusations of Syrian involvement in the Hariri assassination, the commission said.
The commission said that since its initial report and the Security Council’s demand that Damascus cooperate with the inquiry, Syrian authorities have attempted to hinder the investigation and cast doubt on UNIIIC's report.
The Syrian judicial commission, set up by Damascus to investigate the assassination, organized a press conference with one Syrian witness who gave journalists an opportunity to question him and who contradicted prior sworn evidence given to the commission, the report said. "This was at the least an attempt to hinder the investigation internally and procedurally, the commission said.
Syrian statements calling on UNIIIC to reconsider past mistakes and to revise its report was "a clear indication that, while an official channel of communication was operational between the commission and the Syrian authorities regarding cooperation, the judicial commission and the Syrian authorities were aiming to cast doubt on the content of UNIIC's report," it said.
Syrian authorities did make available five Syrian officials wanted by UNIIIC for questioning outside of Syria and UNIIIC investigators were also able to interview another Syrian witness in Syria without interference, the report said.
SYRIAN DOCUMENTS BURNED
Two of the suspects interviewed indicated that all Syrian intelligence documents concerning Lebanon had been burned, the report said. A December 8 letter from the head of the Syrian Special Investigation Commission also said that no material regarding the Hariri assassination had been found in Syrian intelligence archives.
The commission said that it has identified 19 unnamed individuals as "suspects" who might have been involved in some way in the planning or execution of the February attack that killed Hariri and 22 others or in deliberate attempts to hinder the investigation. (See related article.)
One Syrian witness -- Hussam Taher Hussam -- appeared on Syrian television saying that his prior UNIIIC testimony, which implicated high-level Syrian officials, had been coerced and accusing Lebanese officials of bribery and torture. However, UNIIIC said it had received "credible information" that Syrian officials arrested and threatened some of Hussam's close relatives in Syria.
"Preliminary investigation leads to a conclusion that Mr. Hussam is being manipulated by the Syrian Authorities, raising serious questions about whether the Syrian judicial commission is committed to conducting an independent, transparent and professional investigation into this crime," the commission said.
Bolton said the United States still is reviewing the report and had not decided on what course of action it would recommend to the Security Council.
(The Washington File is a product of the Bureau of International Information Programs, U.S. Department of State. Web site: http://usinfo.state.gov)
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