LEBANON: UNITED NATIONS TEAM STARTS INVESTIGATION INTO THE ASSASSINATION OF FORMER PRIME MINISTER

Record ID: 337906

  • Title: LEBANON: UNITED NATIONS TEAM STARTS INVESTIGATION INTO THE ASSASSINATION OF FORMER PRIME MINISTER
  • Date: 25th February 2005
  • Summary: (BN09) MOVENPICK HOTEL, BEIRUT, LEBANON (FEBRUARY 25, 2005) (REUTERS - ACCESS ALL) 1. WIDE OF EXTERIOR OF MOVENPICK HOTEL 0.06 2. WIDE OF UN DELEGATION AT NEWS CONFERENCE 0.11 3. SCU (SOUNDBITE)(English) PETER FITZGERALD, IRISH DEPUTY POLICE COMMISSIONER, SAYING: "The Secretary-General of the U.N. has dispatched me and the team to fulfil the Security Council's mandate that he reports urgently on the circumstances, the causes and the consequences of the killing of former Prime Minister Mr. Hariri and fourteen other people. We appreciate very much and wish to acknowledge President Lahoud's pledge to the Secretary General of the government's co-operation with our mission. And indeed I look forward to working closely with the Lebanese authorities and to learning about their progress in the investigation of this terrible crime." 0.53 4. SLV REPORTERS AT NEWS CONFERENCE 0.56 5. WIDE OF COMMISSIONERS AT NEWS CONFERENCE 1.02 6. SLV MARTIN DONNALLIN AND PATRICK LEAHY 1.07 7. SCU LEAHY 1.10 8. PAN OF UN COMMISSIONERS OF NEWS CONFERENCE 1.20 (BN09) SAINT GEORGE, BEIRUT, LEBANON (FEBRUARY 25, 2005) (REUTERS - ACCESS ALL) 9. WIDE OF DAMAGE SAINT GEORGE BUILDING, SITE OF EXPLOSION 1.23 10. VARIOUS OF DESTROYED CARS AND REMAINS OF BUILDING 1.48 11. WIDE OF SITE OF EXPLOSION 1.55 Initials Script is copyright Reuters Limited. All rights reserved
  • Embargoed: 12th March 2005 12:00
  • Keywords:
  • Location: BEIRUT, LEBANON
  • Country: Lebanon
  • Reuters ID: LVAACBCL4SUOX4H5LEVHD6BU79QJ
  • Story Text: U.N. team in Lebanon starts probe into the killing
    of Lebanon's former prime minister Rafik al-Hariri.




    A U.N. team began an inquiry in Beirut on Friday
    (February 25) into the assassination of former Prime
    Minister Rafik al-Hariri, blamed by the Lebanese opposition
    on Syria.

    The U.N. Security Council, angered by the February 14
    bombing that killed Hariri and 17 others, had asked
    Secretary-General Kofi Annan to report urgently on "the
    circumstances, causes and consequences of the
    assassination".

    Lebanon's Syrian-backed government has rejected calls
    for an international investigation committee into the
    killing but has pledged to co-operate with the U.N.

    mission.

    The head of the three-member U.N. team, Irish Deputy
    Police Commissioner Peter Fitzgerald, told reporters in
    Beirut he vowed "absolute impartiality and
    professionalism".

    "I look forward to working closely with the Lebanese
    authorities and to learning about their progress in the
    investigation of this terrible crime," he said.

    The Lebanese authorities, which have released few
    details, have launched their own investigation but have
    sought Swiss expertise in DNA testing and explosives.

    Lebanon's opposition figures blame Syria and its allies
    in Lebanon for the killing of Hariri, a billionaire
    businessman who enjoyed strong ties to several world
    leaders.

    The killing intensified pressure on Syria to end its
    dominating role in Lebanon. Damascus announced on Thursday
    it was planning to pull back its troops towards the border
    in line with the Taif Accord that ended Lebanon's 1975-90
    civil war.

    But the move, which Lebanese officials said excluded
    the feared intelligence service, falls short of demands by
    the United States and France -- as well as a Security Council
    resolutio
    n -- for a total withdrawal.
  • Copyright Holder: REUTERS
  • Copyright Notice: (c) Copyright Thomson Reuters 2015. Open For Restrictions - http://about.reuters.com/fulllegal.asp
  • Usage Terms/Restrictions: None
Register