Daily Star - L'avocat de Sayyed declare que Beyrouth interfere dans l'enquete

Daily Star - Sayyed lawyer says Beirut is meddling in Hariri probe, April 23, 2008

Attorney of detained former head of General Security Jamil al-Sayyed accused the Lebanese government Tuesday of interfering in the affairs of the international probe committee in the assassination of former Prime Minister Rafik Hariri. "The latest position of the Lebanese government is to be considered as a form of blackmail," a statement issued by the office of lawyer Akram Azouri said.
On Monday, Justice Minister Charles Rizk proposed that the head of the UN commission investigating Hariri's February 2005 assassination begin on June 15 his planned role as prosecutor of the Special Tribunal for Lebanon in exchange for the government approving the extension of the investigation commission's mandate.
"They are trying to trade the extension of the mandate of the international committee with his appointment as prosecutor," Azouri said, adding: "The defense denounces such blatant interference."
"Such discussions depend on the progress made by [Canadian prosecutor Daniel] Bellemare in the investigation," Azouri added.
Meanwhile, Sayyed on Monday slammed MPs from the Future Movement for launching "vehement campaigns" against the release of the four former security chiefs accused of involvement in the Hariri killing.
"Such attacks demonstrate that the continuing detainment is exclusively arbitrary and is entirely politicized," Sayyed said.
Sayyed urged Future Movement leader MP Saad Hariri "to become aware of the full details surrounding his father's assassination, before it is too late."
"Real scandals surround the investigation and they ought to be uncovered," Sayyed added.