Hariri family calls for international probe into assassination

The family of assassinated former Lebanese premier Rafik Hariri called today for an international commission to be formed to investigate his killing.

The Hariri family demand is in contrast to the stance of the Lebanese government, which opposes a foreign-led investigation into Monday’s bombing that killed the billionaire tycoon and 16 others. It has however requested foreign investigators, including Swiss, to assist in the inquiry.

“We call upon the international community to promptly take control of this issue and form an international investigation commission, since the assassination of Rafik Hariri is a terrorist act targeting Lebanon’s stability and national unity,” said a statement released by Hariri’s family.

The statement, released a day after more than 200,000 mourners attended Hariri’s burial in Beirut, said: “The bastions of welfare, nationalism and humanitarian work that Rafik Hariri established will not be closed because of the crime committed by a bunch of criminals.”

“We will not spare any effort or means to find the perpetrators of this crime no matter what their affiliation is,” it added.

French President Jacques Chirac, a close Hariri friend, has also called for an international investigation, while the UN Security Council and the US have demanded the Lebanese government urgently investigate the killing and bring the culprits to justice.

Syria denies involvement in Hariri’s death, but this has done little to quell speculation it at least played a hand in the bombing.

The US has withdrawn its ambassador from Damascus for consultations.

“I don’t see how an assassination of such size could have been planned without Syria’s knowledge.

"It’s ludicrous to say the opposite,” said French MP Pierre Lellouche, a senior member of Chirac’s centre right party.

France also backed renewed US calls for Syria to withdraw its 15,000 troops from Lebanon, where they have been based since the early stages of the 1975 to 1990 civil war.