Home>News Center>World
         
 

Hariri probe focuses attention on Syria
(AP)
Updated: 2005-09-01 09:07

The U.N. probe into the murder of former Lebanese Prime Minister Rafik Hariri — in which four pro-Syrian generals and a lawmaker were named as suspects — has increased pressure on Syria by stoking suspicions that government members played a role in the killing, AP reported.

The generals were questioned Wednesday, a day after they were detained or surrendered to authorities at the request of United Nations investigators trying to determine who was behind the Feb. 14 bombing that killed Hariri and 20 other people.

A staunchly pro-Syrian former legislator was released Wednesday after he also was named as a suspect and returned from Syria for questioning.

Lebanese artist Zaher Al-Bizri paints the portrait of slain former Lebanese Prime Minister Rafik Hariri on a 7 x 1.83 meters' (23 x 6 feet) painting, marking the 200th day since the Feb. 14 assassination of Hariri, in the southern city of Sidon, Lebanon, Wednesday, Aug. 31, 2005.
Lebanese artist Zaher Al-Bizri paints the portrait of slain former Lebanese Prime Minister Rafik Hariri on a 7 x 1.83 meters' (23 x 6 feet) painting, marking the 200th day since the Feb. 14 assassination of Hariri, in the southern city of Sidon, Lebanon, Wednesday, Aug. 31, 2005. [AP]
The recent developments led some to predict Washington would use the information to increase pressure on Syria, which the United States claims is supporting Islamic militants battling U.S. forces in Iraq and Palestinian militants in their fight with Israel.

"The Lebanese arena will be used by those hostile to Syria to keep pressuring Syria," said Ibrahim Bayram, an analyst for the respected Beirut daily, An-Nahar.

The Lebanese government detained Maj. Gen. Jamil Sayyed, former chief of the General Security department; Maj. Gen. Ali Hajj, former police chief, and Brig. Gen. Raymond Azar, former head of military intelligence. Presidential Guards Brigade commander Brig. Gen. Mustafa Hamdan, surrendered as did ex-legislator Nasser Qandil, who was released early Wednesday.

As questioning continued Wednesday, U.N. investigators and Lebanese forensic experts visited two apartments south of Beirut that may have been used to plan the Hariri assassination, according to a Lebanese security official who declined to be identified because of the sensitivity of the case.

The investigators searched the flats and lifted fingerprints. Lebanese police later detained at least four more people, including a man believed to own one of the apartments, the official said.

Hariri's death provoked massive protests that led to the April withdrawal of thousands of Syrian forces from Lebanon, ending a three-decade occupation, and the ouster of Lebanon's pro-Syrian government.

Many Lebanese blamed Syria and its Lebanese allies, particularly members of the country's security apparatus, for the assassination. Both sides have denied the allegations.

There has been no official reaction from Damascus to the latest developments, but Syrian media, all state-run, reported the news, and editorials dismissed insinuations of a possible Syrian role as an attempt to discredit the country.

"Misleading campaigns are continuing," said a front-page headline in Al-Thawra newspaper.

Elias Murad, editor-in-chief of Al-Baath newspaper, said the Lebanese generals' closeness to Syria "is not strange as the vast majority of the Lebanese have good relations with Syria."

The developments come at a difficult time for Syria. It has been under U.S. economic sanctions since before the assassination for not doing enough to curb the flow of militants across its border into Iraq. Shortly after Hariri's murder, Washington recalled its ambassador, Margaret Scobey, to protest the bombing.

Since then, Syria has been in isolation. No high-ranking Americans have visited. There has been no movement on a trade association agreement with the European Union that's crucial to the country's ailing economy.

At a closed Security Council briefing Tuesday, Undersecretary-General for Political Affairs Ibrahim Gambari said "there has been no cooperation" from Syria in the investigation, according to U.S. deputy U.N. Ambassador Anne Patterson.



Death toll of Baghdad bridge stampede nears 1,000
Barretos Rodeo International Festival
Katrina hits US Gulf Coast
 
  Today's Top News     Top World News
 

Baghdad bridge stampede kills 965

 

   
 

Sino-US textile talks fail to yield any result

 

   
 

Corruption behind coal mine woes targetted

 

   
 

New Orleans mayor: Thousands likely dead

 

   
 

Human rights deal with UN signals progress

 

   
 

China Southern Airlines to buy 10 Boeing 787s

 

   
  Baghdad bridge stampede kills 965
   
  New Orleans mayor: Thousands likely dead
   
  648 dead, 322 hurt in Iraq bridge stampede
   
  EU agrees on need for quick clothing deal
   
  China: Six-party talks to resume from Sep 12
   
  Hundreds feared dead in Katrina's wake
   
 
  Go to Another Section  
 
 
  Story Tools  
   
  News Talk  
  Are the Republicans exploiting the memory of 9/11?  
Advertisement
         
主站蜘蛛池模板: 香港三级电影在线观看| 一本色道久久hezyo无码| 欧美黑人vs亚裔videos| 内射白浆一区二区在线观看| 青青国产在线播放| 国产熟女露脸大叫高潮| 91免费国产在线观看| 女大学生的沙龙室| 中文字幕av一区乱码| 日本夜爽爽一区二区三区| 乳孔被撑开乳孔改造里番 | 一级特黄aaa大片在线观看| 日本工囗邪恶帝全彩大全acg| 五月天综合在线| 欧美1区2区3区| 亚洲大成色www永久网址| 欧美精品九九99久久在免费线| 人体大胆做受免费视频| 窝窝午夜看片成人精品| 十八岁污网站在线观看| 老司机深夜福利在线观看| 国产亚洲精品91| 香蕉久久综合精品首页| 国产成人无码精品一区在线观看| 亚洲激情综合网| 国产精品主播叶子闺蜜| 香蕉视频污在线观看| 国产精品美女久久久浪潮av| 999任你躁在线精品免费不卡| 在线视频日韩欧美| 9久久免费国产精品特黄| 天天影院成人免费观看| xxxx中文字幕| 妞干网在线观看视频| 一级一级一级毛片免费毛片| 成年免费A级毛片免费看无码| 中文字幕色综合久久| 无翼日本全彩漫画大全全彩 | 国产人人为我我为人| 黄色大片免费网站| 国产小视频在线观看网站|