Report: Fingers pointed at Syria in Hariri probe
New information linking Syrian officials to 2005 assassination may isolate Damascus further. Lebanese media report suggests France considering cutting ties with Assad
According to Lebanese press reports, prosecutor Daniel Bellemare has obtained new information indicating the involvement of Syrian senior officials in the 2005 assassination. The material was included in the amended indictment draft which was filed last week.
The report indicated that the information was provided by Syrian expats in Hague who claimed they witnessed the event.
Meanwhile, the as-Safir newspaper quoted a French source who said the UN prosecutor discussed cooperation with French security authorities with Paris officials. According to the report, the prosecutor promised to track down the Syrian organizers of the Hariri assassination.
Twenty-two other people were killed in the 2005 attack which ignited a protest wave which led to Syria's withdrawal from Lebanon.
At the time, Syria was marked as the prime suspect for the hit as Hariri was known as fiercely critical of its involvement in Lebanon. Later, fingers were pointed at a Syrian ally – Hezbollah.
The French source told the paper that Paris was on the verge of cutting ties with Damascus, in the backdrop of Syria's violent crackdown against protestors.
They believe that blaming the Syrian regime for Hariri's murder will isolate President Bashar Assad further.
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