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Hariri Probe Eyes Officials' Bank Accounts

Posted on: Thursday, 15 September 2005, 06:00 CDT

International investigators into the slaying of Lebanon's former Prime Minister Rafik Hariri want to examine the bank accounts of Lebanese and Syrian officials.

Beirut's newspapers, including leading dailies An-Nahar and As-Safir, reported Thursday that the international committee led by German prosecutor Detlev Mehlis asked to check the banking accounts of Lebanese Defense Minister Elias Murr and Syrian Interior Minister Ghazi Kenaan, and have requested banks to lift their policy of secrecy.

The pro-Syrian Murr is the son-in-law of President Emile Lahoud, and Kenaan served for years as chief of Syrian military intelligence in Lebanon before he was appointed interior minister.

The committee also wants bank secrecy to be lifted on the accounts of pro-Syrian former legislator Nasser Kandil; Brig. Gen. Rustom Ghazaleh, the former chief of Syrian military intelligence in Lebanon; and Charles Ayyoub, a pro-Syrian journalist.

Murr, who escaped an attempt to assassinate him two months ago, responded to the committee's request by saying he was surprised to have his name mentioned with people suspected in Hariri's Feb. 14 assassination in a massive Beirut blast.

Under Lebanon's banking system total secrecy is imposed unless it is lifted by official authorities for good reasons.

Source: United Press International

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