UN to investigate Hariri killing

BBC ^ | Saturday, 19 February, 2005, 12:00 GMT | Kim Ghattas BBC News, Beirut

[Ernest_at_the_Beach]

UN to investigate Hariri killing

By Kim Ghattas BBC News, Beirut

Many Lebanese blame the government and Syria for the killing

The UN Secretary General, Kofi Annan, is sending a team of experts to Lebanon to investigate the killing of the former prime minister, Rafik Hariri.

The decision was taken after the UN Security Council asked that he report on the circumstances, causes and consequences of the killing.

The investigative team will be led by Ireland's deputy police commissioner, Peter Fitzgerald.

It is still unclear how the Lebanese government will respond.

The team is expected to arrive in Beirut in the next few days.

'Snub'

The minister of interior, Suleiman Franjieh, has rejected all calls for an international investigation, saying only that Swiss experts would be asked to assist a Lebanese team.

The Lebanese authorities appear set for a serious stand-off with the international community.

Lebanon's defence minister, Abdalrahim Murad, has now also criticised the French president, Jacques Chirac, for his private condolence visit to Rafik Hariri's family in Beirut on Wednesday.

Mr Murad accused the French leader of snubbing the government and encouraging the opposition.

On Friday, the anti-Syria opposition called for a peaceful uprising to bring down the government, and repeated its demands for a withdrawal of Syrian troops.

But Mr Franjieh said the government would not tolerate any unrest.

He threatened to send the army to clamp down on protesters who have been taking to the streets since Monday's deadly blast.

[RJL]

UN to investigate Hariri killing

Hariri was a friend of French President Chiraq. The UN doesn't waste much time when Chiraq beckons.

I guess this is to be expected, as Chiraq and Kofi Annan were seemingly in business together, stealing oil money from Iraq.

[NormsRevenge]

But isn't Syria still sitting as a member of some UN Human Rights Panel or such?

[Ernest_at_the_Beach]

Could be, but I don't really know.

I am on Storm-watch here, LA is getting pounded, but we live right south of the LA border.

[Ernest_at_the_Beach]

Very interesting...Chirac and Kofi best of buddies.

[NormsRevenge]

Looks like a heavy storm tonight, Good luck. We were dry all day here but will get some tonight too.. looks like clearing is on the way after this latest moisture moves thru.

Maybe it's Zimbabwe and Cuba I was thinking of,, re: human rights seats.

altho syria wants to be one of the top dogs at the UN..

[SandRat]

Like that will go anywhere. They'll spend more time looking for little boys to play Ernst Rhom with than anything esle.

[jveritas]

FYI: Suleiman Franjieh is a high school drop out, and he became a member of the Parliament and now he is the interior minister of Lebanon because his late grand father, Suleiman Franjieh Sr. was the President of Lebanon from 1970-1976 and he was a very strong ally of the Syrian Baath terrorist regime all the time until his death almost 15 years ago.

[American in Israel]

Having the UN investigate something is the same as a whitewash, just more expensive. The UN looking for a elephant in a sock would only find a bribe.

[nopardons]

Yes!

[nopardons]

Them too and we're getting snow. :-(

[april15Bendovr]

Syrians, Iranians and Saddam are all Baathists.

That means they are all Socialists.

Liberals have turned their back on Stalin, Hitler, Saddam, Ho Chi Minh, Khmer Rouge, Castro and many other tyrant's due to the fact that these tyrant's were figureheads of socialist governments.

The U.N. is made up mostly of Socialists. Who the hell thinks they would give a crap.

[GeronL]

hahahahahahahahahahaha

The UN will say it was suicide

[TeddyCon]

UN to investigate Hariri killing...expects a full report by 2015.

[onedoug]

The UN?

The cheapest appeasers.

[AlaskaErik]

The bumbling UN makes Inspector Clouseau look like Sherlock Holmes. I expect nothing to come of this.

[Ernest_at_the_Beach]

My thoughts also. Hows the weather up there? We are getting pounded by rainstorms down here. Info here:

CA: Storm Thread - Heading toward the record books

[elhombrelibre]

Iran isn't a Baathist regime; it is a corrupt theocracy led by phony Muslim mullahs.

[RobertMorrow]

H.R. 1146 will WITHDRAW the USA from the United Nations' madhouse/cesspool.

Go to: http://www.getusout.org/un/index.html . Then go lobby at http://www.conservativeusa.org/megalink.htm . Email President Bush at president@whitehouse.gov . White House comment line is 202-456-1111.
The United Nations is a corrupt disgrace and it is time for the USA to WITHDRAW from and defund the United Nations. Please tell your senators, congressmen and everyone you know to support H.R. 1146 which would WITHDRAW the USA from the United Nations, prohibit US funds going to the UN and prohibit US troops serving under UN command. H.R 1146 is the American Sovereignty Restoration Act.
The whole mission of the UN is to take power, money and national sovereignty from the USA. Thus the United States must withdraw from and defund the UN, a worthless organization, and if we go, if we are lucky, the whole thing will implode.