Posted on 10/29/2005 8:56:51 PM PDT by Valin
Faced with the threat of United Nations' sanctions, Syria has launched its own investigation into the killing of Lebanon's former prime minister, Rafik al-Hariri. The inquiry has been ordered by Syrian President Bashar al-Assad. It will question Syrian civilians and military personnel and cooperate with a UN inquiry that has implicated senior Syrian officials in the February 14 assassination.
Detlev Mehlis, who is leading the UN investigation into Mr Hariri's murder, urged Syria at a Security Council meeting earlier this week to set up its own probe and to cooperate fully with international investigators. Syria has denied any role in Mr Hariri's killing and dismissed Mr Mehlis's report as politicised.
However, it is under growing international pressure to cooperate or risk economic sanctions. "The committee will cooperate with the International Independent Investigation Commission and the Lebanese judicial authorities in everything that relates to the investigative procedures," a Foreign Ministry source said. "It will proceed with the investigation of Syrian civilians and military in everything that relates to the mission of the International Independent Investigation Commission."
The United States and France say they are confident a tough UN Security Council resolution against Syria will be adopted at a foreign ministers' meeting on Monday, although Russia and China have misgivings. The draft resolution threatens economic sanctions against Syria if it does not cooperate fully with the UN inquiry, and imposes a travel ban and freeze on overseas assets of those suspected in the killing.
UN report
The UN report found the decision to kill Mr Hariri "could not have been taken without the approval of top-ranked Syrian security officials" colluding with Lebanese officials. It named senior Syrian security officials, including Mr Assad's brother and brother-in-law and their Lebanese allies, as possible suspects in the truck bombing that killed Mr Hariri and 22 other people. Syria has rejected Mr Mehlis's accusation that it did not cooperate with his investigation and says the report does not contain enough evidence to indict any of its officials.
It apparently hopes its own probe will defuse international and Lebanese pressure that forced it to withdraw its troops from Lebanon in April after 29 years and ease its political grip on its neighbour. "It's timely and silences those who were betting Syria would not allow the interrogation of any Syrian," Ahmad al-Haj Ali, a political analyst and member of the ruling Baath Party, said. "The move shows confidence by the leadership that we are not guilty and don't fear anything."
Oh that will work. LOL
I hear the chief investigator will be O.J. Simpson.
Surprise pick of Janet Reno.
This is sure to be a rigorous and thorough 'investigation'..... I can already predict their 'finding' -- blame the Jews!! Must've been Israel, 'cause we all know that the Religion of Peace does not allow such acts and no Muslim would ever harm a fly....
In other news, Mafia investigates Chicago corruption.
They'll indict Scooter Libby and Karl Rove.
D'OH!
Secondly. Since Syria is agreeing to cooperate with the UN, on this issue, their independent investigation will have to answer to the main allegations formated by the UN assembly. So they can't just say they have found nothing because, their investigation's activities will have to mesh with whatever the UN demands them to produce, whether documents, persons for questioning, tapes etc.. So perhaps Assad and his father's cronies are up against the wall and figure it is time to play ball. And it is silly for any country to just come out and say, look were crooks, were responsible for committing murder at a governmental level.
We to a degree have to understand they where caught with their pants down on this one and want to survive the outcome, intack.
I hear they hired OJ Simpson to find the real killer.
Why not simply cooperate with current investigations? Easier than starting their own investigation. :-)
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.