At Interpol, hunt still on for Mugniyah
Organization's website displaying most-wanted offenders still lists Hizbullah commander assassinated in February. Meanwhile, Syrian officials say inquiry into murder points to involvement of Arab intelligence services
News of the death of Hizbullah's notorious operations officer Imad Mugniyah has been greatly exaggerated. At least if you ask Interpol. The organization's online database of still lists Mugniyah most-wanted Lebanese offenders, months after his assassination in Damascus.
Interpol's website offers three outdated photographs of the terrorist regarded as Hizbullah's top operations officer who masterminded attacks resulting in the deaths of hundreds and details additional information regarding his history and appearance.
Mugniyah's is wanted for the following categories of offense according to the Interpol international warrant: crimes against life and health, crimes involving the use of weapons/explosives, hooliganism/vandalism/damage and terrorism.
Still wanted (Interpol website on Sunday)
This despite statements made on Friday by Syrian Police Chief Hussein Wahoud, who touted his country's close relationship with Interpol. In an article by the officials Syrian news agency, Wahoud is quoted as saying Syria is among the top ten nations in terms of cooperation with Interpol in its fight to combat international crime.
Wahoud also said that Syrian police solved 94% of criminal investigations in 2006.
Exiled Syrian VP: Assassins came from Syria
Many in the Middle East continue to wait for the much-anticipated Syrian report touted as containing the answers to the pressing questions related to Mugniyah's death.
The al-Quds al-Arabi daily reported on Saturday that sources in Damascus confirm that the investigation points to the involvement of Arab intelligence services who apparently aided those who took out Mugniyah.
Alongside this, reports claim Assaf Shawkat – head of Syrian Military Intelligence and President Bashar Assad's brother-in-law – has been placed under house arrest in Damascus.
Lebanese news network al-Mustaqbal interviewed former Syrian Vice President Abd al Halim Khaddam, who asserted Assad has decided to take advantage of Mugniyeh's assassination to complete Khaddam's
removal and instate his cousin Hafez Mahlouf in his place. Khaddam defected from Syria to join the ranks of the exiled opposition and currently resides in Europe,
Khaddam says he was targeted after he proved that the blast that killed Mugniyah was caused by a bomb inside his car and furthermore, that the assassins came from within Syria. This in contrast with the version circulated by Assad, which alleges Mugniyah died after a gas tank exploded in his car.
