UN chief expresses 'sorrow' on fourth anniversary of Hariri murder

On the fourth anniversary of the massive car bomb blast that killed Lebanon's former prime minister Rafiq Hariri and 22 others, Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon today expressed his sorrow to the Lebanese people over the tragic loss of a man who stood strongly for the independence and sovereignty of his country.

“This sad anniversary comes two weeks before the Special Tribunal for Lebanon begins to function on 1 March,” Mr. Ban said in a statement released by his spokesperson.

The Special Tribunal, established in The Hague, takes over from the Beirut-based International Independent Investigation Commission (IIIC), which investigated 20 other attacks and found elements linking some of them to the criminal network behind the Hariri assassination.

Today's statement reaffirmed the commitment of the UN “to uncover the truth, bring those responsible for the crime to justice and end impunity in Lebanon.”

Mr. Ban also called for the full implementation of all Security Council resolutions pertaining to Lebanon.