UN committed to ensuring justice, Ban says on anniversary of Hariri killings

Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon today reaffirmed the commitment of the United Nations to bring those responsible for the terrorist attack that killed former Lebanese Prime Minister Rafiq Hariri and 22 others to justice, as the country marks the fifth anniversary of the assassination.

The investigation of the murders continues under the guidance of Daniel Bellemare, the Prosecutor for the Special Tribunal for Lebanon, an independent body set up in The Hague, Netherlands.

The tribunal was set up following a probe by an independent international commission, after an earlier UN inquiry found that Lebanon’s own inquiry into the massive car bombing that killed Mr. Hariri and the others in 2005 was seriously flawed and that Syria was primarily responsible for the political tensions that preceded the attack.

“The Secretary-General reaffirms the commitment of the United Nations to the efforts of the Special Tribunal for Lebanon to uncover the truth, so as to bring those responsible to justice and end impunity in Lebanon,” his spokesperson said in a statement.

He stands with the people of Lebanon in commemorating the life and achievements of Mr. Hariri and renews his condolences to the families of the victims of this terrible crime, the statement added.

Following a meeting with Lebanese President Michel Sleiman in December 2009, Mr. Bellemare stated that the investigation “is making progress and proceeding at full pace.”

He stressed that the ultimate goal of the Tribunal, beyond finding out the truth and ensuring that justice is done, is to help Lebanon and its people in their continued efforts to further promote the rule of law and in their fight against impunity.