PARIS, 18 October 2005 — French police arrested a former Syrian intelligence officer accused of lying to UN investigators probing the assassination of former Lebanese Prime Minister Rafik Hariri, police and judicial officials said yesterday.
Mohammed Zuhair Al-Siddiq was taken into custody Sunday in the Paris suburb of Chatou by France’s DST counterespionage service, police in France said. He was the subject of an international arrest warrant and is expected to be extradited, the police said. The arrest warrant, issued by Lebanese Magistrate Elias Eid, accused Al-Siddiq of giving phony testimony and misleading the UN investigation, judicial officials in Lebanon said.
Arab media have billed Al-Siddiq, 45, as being a leading witness in the probe by chief UN investigator Detlev Mehlis of Hariri’s killing earlier this year. Mehlis is to release his report by Oct. 25.
French police identified Al-Siddiq as a former intelligence officer — as he reportedly claimed during testimony — though many questions remained about his identity and his involvement with Syrian officials.
Lebanese Youth and Sports Minister Ahmed Fatfat, a close Hariri ally, claimed Al-Siddiq had lied, “perhaps because he wanted it this way, either for personal interest or perhaps because he was planted to mislead the investigation.”
According to media reports, Al-Siddiq claimed he took part in a meeting of Lebanese security officials who drew up a plan to kill Hariri. He then allegedly left Syria and surfaced in France, where he was interviewed by UN investigators.
Al-Siddiq also told investigators he was at the crime scene before and after the massive bombing targeted Hariri’s motorcade, according to the media reports.
The Syrians have sought to discredit Al-Siddiq as being a wanted man at home, for fleeing his military service and for fraud, according to the media reports. Al-Siddiq’s family in Syria also called his accusations lies.
UN Secretary-General Kofi Annan said yesterday he would not make a decision on whether to extend the mandate of the UN probe into Hariri’s murder until he receives a report on the case. Last week, the Lebanese government asked that the mandate of the probe be extended to Dec. 15.
“I have spoken to Mehlis but I will wait for his full report to be able to make a judgment whether to extend the mandate or not,” Annan told reporters at the United Nations.
In remarks likely to anger Syria, Lebanese Prime Minister Fuad Siniora was quoted yesterday as saying Lebanon will push for diplomatic relations with Syria and the demarcation of their common border.
It was the first time ever that a Lebanese prime minister has called for Syria to exchange ambassadors. Syria has always insisted the two countries were too close for diplomatic relations.
Syria did not respond to Siniora’s remarks, which were made in a TV interview broadcast Sunday night and published on the front pages of Lebanon’s newspapers yesterday. Siniora told Al-Jazeera television that he would strive to establish diplomatic relations with Syria, adding “I hope that this will happen soon.” Lebanon and Syria have never exchanged ambassadors since the two countries became independent from France in 1943. Many Lebanese believe Damascus has refused diplomatic ties because Syrians have long regarded Lebanon as a part of their country, a part that was taken away during French colonial rule.
Siniora also said preparations were under way to demarcate the Lebanese-Syrian border. “There are some areas where the border has previously been demarcated and other areas where it is unclear. We have asked specialized committees to do this,” Siniora said.
