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Syria Dismisses UN Probe Into Hariri Assassination
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(http://enews.voanews.com/t?ctl=F7735F:3919ACA

Syria dismisses as false and "completely political" United Nations
report linking some of its top intelligence officials to Hariri
assassination





UN investigator Detlev Mehlis, left, speaks after handing UN Secretary
General Kofi Annan the report on the assassination of former Lebanese
Premier Rafik Hariri

Syria has dismissed as false and "completely political" a United
Nations report linking some of its top intelligence officials to the
February assassination of former Lebanese Prime Minister Rafik Hariri.

U.N. investigator Detlev Mehlis issued a 54-page report Thursday,
saying the assassination was planned over many months. It implicates,
among others, Syria's military intelligence chief Asef Shawkat, who is
the brother-in-law of Syrian President Bashar al-Assad.

In Beirut, anti-Syrian legislators hailed the findings and renewed
their calls for Lebanese President Emile Lahoud - a close ally of
Syria - to resign.

Mr. Mehlis' report says President Lahoud received a telephone call
from a suspect in Mr. Hariri's assassination shortly before it
occurred. The president's office has denied the accusation and says he
has no intention of stepping down.

U.N. Secretary-General Kofi Annan has extended the investigation until
December 15.

Some information for this report provided by AFP, AP and Reuters.


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