2008, December 18 - Daily Star - Hariri case 'can be solved' - Bellemare to Security Council

The UN Security Council on Wednesday unanimously agreed to extend for two months the mandate of the UN panel probing the 2005 assassination of former Lebanese Prime Minister Rafik Hariri. The 15-member council decided to extend the mandate, which expires late this month, until February 28 on a request by the head of the Beirut-based commission, Canadian prosecutor Daniel Bellemare, who said on Wednesday that the Hariri murder case "can be solved despite difficulties." He asserted that the Hariri case could be solved irrespective of the fact that nobody was able to provide any guarantees. "So, can this case be solved? While no one ever said it would be easy, my answer to this question is unequivocal: Yes, this case can be solved," Bellemare said. To donors funding the tribunal and wondering whether it is worth continuing, he said, "Once again, my answer is unequivocal: absolutely!" Last month, UN chief Ban Ki-moon said in a report that the international tribunal that will try suspects in the murder, to be based in The Hague, could begin work on March 1. In his briefing to the council Wednesday, Bellemare said he sought the two-month extension "to allow the commission to continue to function until the day the tribunal starts to operate." He told the council that his investigation team has uncovered fresh information that may link additional individuals to the "Hariri network." However, the identities of such individuals will not be made public in order to protect their safety, he added. He noted that the mandate extension would allow "the momentum of the investigation to be maintained" and would also provide "a period of time in which the commission could gradually transfer its investigative operation from a Beirut base to a base in The Hague." He also made it clear that he could not predict when his probe would be wrapped up. "I cannot predict when all the various elements of evidence required to support an indictment will be discovered," Bellemare said. Early this month, a report from his panel said fresh evidence might help identify new suspects in the Hariri slaying. Bellemare notably said that progress was made "in relation to identifying the geographical origin of the suicide bomber in the Hariri case." Hariri was killed on February 14, 2005, in a massive car bombing on the Beirut seafront that also killed 22 others. The attack was one of the worst acts of political violence to rock Lebanon since the 1975-1990 Civil War, and led to the withdrawal of Syrian troops after a 29-year presence. The Hariri murder was blamed on Syria by many Lebanese, but Damascus denied any involvement. The tribunal was authorized by Security Council Resolution 1757 in June 2007. It will have 11 judges, including four from Lebanon. - AFP