Assassination inquiry chief wants out

In a move full of political consequence, the magistrate investigating the assassination of former Lebanese Prime Minister Rafik Hariri has asked to be relieved.

The request delays an investigation that is central to the political turmoil in Lebanon. The opposition has refused to join a Cabinet until the prime minister designate agrees to hold an international inquiry into Hariri’s death last month.

Later this week, the UN is expected to publish a report on the assassination which allegedly accuses the Lebanese authorities of tampering with evidence from the bomb blast that killed Hariri and 17 other people in central Beirut.

Investigating Magistrate Michel Abou Arraj has written to the Supreme Judicial Council asking to be excused from the case, Justice Ministry officials said.

They said Abu Arraj gave as a reason his busy schedule in the criminal courts.

The judicial council, which is expected to consider the request tomorrow, can accept the magistrate's request and appoint another magistrate. Alternatively it may freeze the request, declining to act on it, or reject it outright.

The inquiry into Hariri’s killing has been at the core of the political debate that has engulfed Lebanon since his death. Opposition MPs and demonstrators have demanded an international investigation as they do not trust the Lebanese authorities’ ability to conduct a thorough and impartial probe.

Opposition leaders have accused Syria and the pro-Syrian government of playing a role in the assassination – a charge both governments have denied.

In Algiers today, UN Secretary-General Kofi Annan told the Arab summit that he expects to release the report of the UN team in the next few days.

“I believe a more comprehensive investigation may also be necessary,” Annan said.

A Lebanese newspaper owned by Hariri’s family reported this week that the UN investigators found the authorities had prematurely removed the vehicles of Hariri’s motorcade from the scene of the blast, and had cleared the site before sufficient forensic evidence had been collected.