Serge Brammertz, the Belgian prosecutor heading the UN investigation into political murders in Lebanon, released new information to the UN in his eighth report last week. Focusing on the assassination of former Lebanese prime minister, Rafik Hariri, the report highlights the role of 22 individuals, cell phones used to track his movements, and possible motives surrounding Hariri's role in Security Council resolutions regarding Lebanese-Syrian relations.
The new report highlights the planning and execution of the murder, notably the origins of the van used in the murder, as well as SIM cards and other cell phone accessories. The report did not reach any conclusions about the suicide bomber involved in the murder, and has made no further accusations of Syrian involvement.
Brammertz also indicated that the ongoing conflicts in Lebanon are having “several negative effects” on his investigation. A year after the military wing of Hezbollah engaged the Israeli Defense Forces, the influence of the Islamist group is overshadowing much of the political landscape in Lebanon. Though not implicated in the Hariri plot, Hezbollah is widely influential in any progress in the region.
In other news, members of the UN peacekeeping force, UNIFIL, hit a roadside bomb while patrolling southern Lebanon. No casualties were reported.
