German prosecutor to head UN inquiry into murder of Lebanon's ex-premier

The Senior Public Prosecutor in the Attorney General's Office in Berlin, Germany, will lead the United Nations investigation into the assassination of former Prime Minister Rafik Hariri of Lebanon, UN Secretary-General Kofi Annan told the Security Council today.

He said he intended to appoint the 25-year veteran prosecutor Detlev Mehlis as the Commissioner of the UN International Independent Investigation Commission and Mr. Mehlis would travel to the Lebanese capital, Beirut, as soon as possible to begin the inquiry.

Mr. Mehlis had led numerous investigations into serious, complex transnational crimes and since he was appointed Senior Public Prosecutor in 1992 had been responsible for prosecuting terrorism and organized crime cases, Mr. Annan said.

Meanwhile, the UN Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL) reported that there had been an exchange of fire across the Blue Line between Israel and Lebanon in the Sheba'a farmlands area, but the firing stopped after UNIFIL contacted parties on both sides of the Line.

UNIFIL, which was established in 1978 to confirm Israel's withdrawal from Lebanon, restore peace and help the Lebanese Government restore its authority over the area, said it would investigate the incident.