Naharnet - Nicolas Michel's Resignation Related to Hariri Tribunal!, 19 march 2008
The United Nations Undersecretary General for Legal Affairs Nicolas Michel has resigned from his post, a U.N. spokesperson has said.U.N. chief Ban Ki-moon's deputy spokesperson Marie Okabe cited "family and administrative reasons" behind Michel's resignation."Michel had informed the secretary general through his chef of cabinet in January 2008 that he regretted that he would not be able to be available for a further extension of his contract when it expires at the end of August, mainly for family and administrative reasons," Okabe said.The Daily Star has said that Lawyer Akram Azouri, attorney of detained former Surete Generale chief Jamil al-Sayyed tied Michel's resignation with the Special Tribunal for Lebanon that will try suspects in the February 2005 assassination of former Prime Minister Rafik Hariri. Azouri said that "political pressures are likely to stand behind such resignation." Sayyed, along with Ali al-Hajj of the Internal Security Forces, Raymond Azar of the Army Intelligence and Mustafa Hamdan of the Presidential Guards Brigade, have been detained since August 2005 for alleged involvement in Hariri's killing.Belgian prosecutor Serge Brammertz, former head of the U.N. probe commission, has said that the detainment of the four former security chiefs was the responsibility of the Lebanese judiciary. In his latest statement issued through the office of his attorney, Sayyed lashed out at General Prosecutor Saeed Mirza and investigative Magistrate Saqr Saqr, holding them responsible for his "arbitrary" detention. Lawyer Mohammad Mattar, who represents the heirs of the four Hariri bodyguards killed in the February 14, 2005 car bombing, said Sayyed's claims were "groundless."
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