AFP - Lebanon prosecutor refuses to free four generals linked to Hariri assassination, August 6, 2008

Lebanon on Wednesday turned down a request to free four army generalsheld without charge since August 2005 in connection with theassassination of ex-premier Rafik Hariri.Prosecutor Saqr Saq refused to free the four men, who have pleaded theirinnocence and repeatedly asked for their release through their lawyers,a judicial official said.But Saqr agreed to release two of the nine suspects detained followingHariri's murder in a massive Beirut car bomb blast in February 2005, theofficial added. The pair had been held for giving false information.The officers - who are believed to be close to Syria - are formerpresidential guard chief General Mustafa Hamdan, the former head of thegeneral security department General Jamil Sayyed, the former head of theinternal security forces General Ali Hajj and the former chief of armyintelligence General Raymond Azar.In April the government defended as "perfectly legal" the holding of theofficers after criticism by the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights,which said their detention without charge was "arbitrary" and "unjust."But the government insisted the men could not be released for fear theywould flee with the help of "influential parties." Syria has denied any involvement. In June the UN Security Council voted unanimously to extend for anothersix months the mandate of the UN panel probing Hariri's murder. Aninternational tribunal is due to be set up after the investigation iscompleted to try the suspects involved in the assassination.-AFP