32-Member Investigating Team in Syria on Eve of Hariri”s Murder Anniversary
The U.N. commission dispatched 32 members of its team to Syria on the eve of ex-Premier Rafik Hariri”s fourth assassination anniversary after getting Damascus” approval.
Pan-Arab daily al-Hayat said Saturday that the team included 12 investigators and 20 writers and translators.
It quoted well-informed sources as saying the visit is aimed at hearing the testimonies of several people in Syria in the last debriefing session of "Syrian personalities."
By Friday night, the delegation had not yet returned from Syria.
A source told Asharq al-Awsat daily that head of the U.N. commission Daniel Bellemare is not part of the group of investigators that headed to Syria.
During its stay in Damascus, the delegation will meet with "specific personalities," the source said, adding information reveals that Syrians are cooperating with the investigators.
It also said that the commission got the approval of Syrian authorities before its visit to Damascus.
The state-run National News Agency (NNA) said Friday that the investigators left their headquarters in Monteverde Hotel in four Sport Utility Vehicles and passed through the Masnaa border crossing on their way to Syria.
Future News TV quoted security sources as saying "urgent requirements" led to the visit to Syria.
LBC said the commission requested permission to interrogate Gen. Jamil al-Sayyed, the former security chief, who had repeatedly rejected interrogation by the Lebanese examining magistrate probing Hariri”s assassination and related killings.
It could not be determined, however, if the commission”s mission in Syria is linked to the request to interrogate al-Sayyed.
The U.N. investigating commission has been set up to probe the Feb. 14, 2005 assassination of Hariri and related crimes.
Investigators have already met with Syrian President Bashar Assad in Damascus. They have also questioned several Syrian officials.