WAR: U.N Say Syria Obstructed Investigation, page 1

The Independant reports that Syria obstructd the U.N investigation into the murder of Rafik Hariri, former prime minister of Lebanon, and the U.N will state this in thier second report. The report will also state that evidence of Syrian involvment in the car bomb has been reinforced and suspects include high ranking Syrian officials. Syria is also accused of burning documents relating to Lebanon and trying to manipulate a witness into retracting his testimony. The Security council demanded Syrian co-operation and this report could signal sanctions against the country, furthering the tension in the region even further.

news.independent.co.uk
Evidence of Syrian involvement in the bomb attack that killed Hariri in February was reinforced in the report, presented to the Security Council yesterday. An initial report said it was highly unlikely that the attack could have been carried out without Syria's knowledge.

Syria denies involvement in the plot and insists it is helping the investigation.

The German prosecutor, Detlev Mehlis, said that Syrian officials had burnt official papers relating to Lebanon and pressured one witness to recant his testimony. Husam Taher Husam's relatives were arrested and threatened shortly before he recanted his previous testimony last month. "Preliminary investigation leads to the conclusion that Mr Husam is being manipulated by the Syrian authorities," the report said, adding that Syria's handling of Mr Husam was "an attempt to hinder the investigation internally and procedurally".

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This reports finding have huge implications for the area, we now have Syria being targeted by the U.N for involvment in a murder, this may push the country even further toward fanatisism, and worryingly could fing it closer allining itself with Iran.

This report was necessary, but i feel it must be handled carefully, the actions cannot go unpunished, if Syria obstructed the investigation, then the concequences must be dished out, but surely its got to b a very tricky situation?

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