Judge quits over murder dossier as fears grow of cover-up

[emad]

March 24, 2005

From Nicholas Blanford in Beirut

A JUDGE charged with investigating the assassination of Rafik Hairi, the former Prime Minister of Lebanon, resigned yesterday. He said that he had been handed a case file containing no evidence nor any names of potential suspects.

The departure of Michel Abu Arraj is another blow to the Lebanese Government’s reputation. A series of bombings has increased fears of a return to the bloodshed of the 1975-90 civil war.

Al-Mustaqbal, the Lebanese daily newspaper, said that Abu Arraj was also incensed at having been handed a lawsuit that Jamil Sayyed, the head of the General Security Directorate, has brought against himself and other security chiefs in an attempt to clear them of involvement in Mr Hariri’s murder.

Abu Arraj’s resignation came as Kofi Annan, the United Nations Secretary-General, said that a more thorough investigation into the murder may be needed. A UN report into Mr Hariri’s death on February 14 is to be released shortly and is expected to carry harsh criticism of the Lebanese Government’s handling of the investigation.

http://www.timesonline.co.uk/article/0,,251-1538915,00.html