U.N. Hariri Assassination Probe Encouraging, U.S. Envoy Says
14 June 2006
U.N. Ambassador Bolton says Syria's cooperation still questionable
By Judy Aita
Washington File United Nations Correspondent
United Nations -- The United States is pleased with the progress of the U.N. investigation into the assassination of former Lebanese Prime Minister Rafiq Hariri and will support the investigators' request to expand the scope of the probe and extend its mandate for one year, U.S. Ambassador John Bolton said June 14.
However, Syria's cooperation with the investigation remains questionable, Bolton told journalists outside the U.N. Security Council chambers.
Serge Brammertz, head of the International Independent Investigation Commission (UNIIIC), said in a written report to the council on June 9 that in the past three months Syria has "formally complied with nearly all" of UNIIIC's requests, some of which dated back to November 2005. The documents and other information Syria has provided, he said, are being reviewed for their relevance to the investigation. (See related article.)
"Despite these encouraging steps," Brammertz said, "it is important to note that the commission will ultimately judge cooperation of the Syrian authorities on the merits of the information provided and the promptness with which its requests are being accommodated."
UNIIIC is preparing additional requests related to Syria's presence in Lebanon and Hariri's assassination, he added.
In his report, "Brammertz does not say that Syria has fully cooperated," the U.S. ambassador pointed out, quoting from the report that Syria's cooperation was "generally satisfactory."
"Maybe in a pass/fail system that is a pass for this reporting period, but that is hardly a ringing endorsement," Bolton said.
"I take the report at its worth that there has been satisfactory cooperation [from Syria] in this period, but far from the full active cooperation that the Security Council has required," the ambassador said.
Brammertz met with the Security Council in open and closed sessions June 14 to discuss the progress of the investigation.
Brammertz said that UNIIIC's systematic forensic examinations have determined that Hariri was killed by an aboveground explosion of a "large improvised explosive device" with a minimum of 1,200 kilograms of TNT equivalent. The device was placed in a Mitsubishi truck and detonated "by an individual within or immediately in front of the Mitsubishi" as the former prime minister's convoy passed. There is also no evidence that the man claiming responsibility in a video sent to news organizations, Ahmed Abus Adass, was the suicide bomber, said the head of the investigation commission.
Brammertz indicated that, given the large amount of explosives, the crime must be considered a targeted assassination. "The magnitude of the explosion was designed to ensure success of the operation even if the Hariri vehicle was not directly hit," he said.
UNIIIC is developing a working hypothesis on who commissioned the crime and the motive behind it. According to Brammertz, it could involve politics, personal vendettas or finances.
Investigators are convinced, Brammertz said, that "strong structures," not individuals, are behind the assassination.
The commission is also providing technical assistance to Lebanon on 14 other attacks since October 2004 to help further those investigations and establish potential links between the attacks, he said.
Brammertz has asked the Security Council to extend UNIIIC's mandate for one year and let the investigators provide more technical and forensics expertise to Lebanon on the 14 investigations.
Bolton said UNIIIC's report "shows the continuing progress and professionalism of the investigation." The commission, he said, "shows encouraging signs of moving ahead in a variety of areas."
A draft resolution currently circulating in the council will back Brammertz' request to extend the life of his commission and its mandate, the ambassador said.
Brammertz' request for the year extension and his willingness to remain on the job "shows me that preparations are proceeding in a very methodical fashion," Bolton said.
What the latest report -- UNIIIC's fourth -- demonstrates, Bolton said, "is the systematic progression toward the preparation for trial, toward the selection of defendants, and the preparation of cases."
(The Washington File is a product of the Bureau of International Information Programs, U.S. Department of State. Web site: http://usinfo.state.gov)
|
NEWSLETTER
|
| Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list |
|
|
|
