Chief investigator seeks more time to probe Hariri assassination

By JERUSALEM POST STAFF
The chief investigator probing the assassination of Lebanon's former prime minister asked the UN Security Council on Tuesday for more time to determine all the members of the criminal network that killed Rafik Hariri and took part in related terrorist attacks. Daniel Bellemare also ruled out any quick indictments when he takes over as prosecutor of the international tribunal that will seek to bring those responsible for the February 2005 assassination of Hariri and 22 others to justice. But he told the council that the International Independent Investigative Commission, which he took over in January, "can now confirm, on the basis of evidence, that a network of individuals acted in concert to carry out the assassination of Rafik Hariri." Bellemare said the network - which has been referred to as the "Hariri Network" - or parts of it are linked to some of the 20 other terrorist attacks in which the commission is providing technical assistance to Lebanese authorities.