Mehlis slams Syria for "propaganda" in Hariri probe
Vienna (AsiaNews/Agencies) - Chief U.N. investigator Detlev Mehlis accused Damascus of using a Syrian witness in the inquiry into the killing of a former Lebanese prime minister as a Communist-like propaganda tool.
German prosecutor Mehlis, on Thursday, said his investigation had not been undermined by witness Hosam Taher Hosam, who recanted his testimony. Hosam appeared on Syrian television this week to accuse Lebanese officials of an elaborate scheme of threats, bribery and torture to induce him to testify falsely against Syria and said the inquiry's initial findings rested largely on his lies. "I'm used to this kind of propaganda," Mehlis was quoted by Beirut's as-Safir daily as saying. "I've spent 40 years in Germany and we used to see such things in former eastern European countries."
Mehlis' interim report in October into the February 14 killing of Rafik al-Hariri cast suspicion on senior Syrian officials and suggested the assassination was planned by top security officials in Damascus and their Lebanese allies. Syria has denied the accusations and called the Mehlis report politically motivated, saying Hosam's testimony was the main source implicating Syrians.
"There is no main witness. There is a witness who might give information to the (investigation) commission. What Hosam said in Syria is different to what he told us," Mehlis said. He said his team would ask to question Hosam again because he was trying to hamper the investigation.
Mehlis is scheduled to submit his final report on December 15. Ibrahim Gambari, the U.N. undersecretary-general for political affairs, said on Wednesday he expected the investigation to continue but that Mehlis may hand over the work to someone else.
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