What's all the hubbub about? A lot of my fellow bloggers are celebrating as if the culprits of Hariri's assassination have been arrested, but I don't see any indications that point to that conclusion. True Naharnet's headline reads that Mehlis Rounds up Sayyed, Hajj, Azar, Summons Hamdan, and Lebanonwire even published an article titled Lebanon arrests ex-security cheifs over Hariri murder. But I'm not convinced.
I don't have a subscription to Lebanonwire, so I couldn't read their article. I can read the Naharnet article though, and if you scrutinize it closely, you'll realize that the "ex-security cheifs" have been detained (as opposed to arrested) for questioning, and that the only change since the last time they were questioned is that they're now officially considered to be suspects. Furthermore, didn't Mehlis say that he needed a few more months to finish his investigations?
All I know is that I'm not convinced, and I won't be won over by any outcome until the culprits are sent to the Hague. Today's celebrations are simply premature.
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5 comments:
you are right, they were detained for questioning. AFP and Elaph reported it as arrests. I have access to the AFP arabic service and it said "summoned for questioning as suspects." As far as I can tell, nobody was charged.
Raja -
I just checked and it appears that LebanonWire initially rerinted the article which appeared in MidEastWire, and later rewrote it and added quotes, possibly by Siniora. The two main paragraphs of interest to me, in the revised story, were:
"The arrested men who had their homes searched were former general security chief Jamil al-Sayed, ex-military intelligence boss Raymond Azar and former internal security head Ali al-Hage.
The three officials, who all resigned amid public fury over the Hariri assassination, "will be interrogated as suspects," Prime Minister Fuad Siniora said in a statement read on television"
I don't blame Hariri et al for leaving for Paris. You (bloggin') guys please keep a low profile over the next week or so, and please don't go near where bombs are going to go off!!!(not smiling!)
E expected Bashar to stonewall, and felt OK but angry when he did. But I am now deeply worried when he says thay can interview anyone in Syria - that statement is almost like hearing one shoe drop!! My fear is that the next shoe will be a lot louder!!
barney
I'm uber-suspicious. Mehlis just got the green light to interview the Syrian big shots.
Is he raking the Lebanese patsies over the coals to get more info from them to use against the Syrians? Or, is he maneuvering to frighten the Syrians?
There has to be a connection to the Syrian interviews. Why now?
Or, should we believe Gebran? Did the UN find out that something is imminent?
I've got no idea. They're keeping the cards close to the chest.
They have not been charged because Mehlis does not have this kind of authority.
They will all spend their first night in jail and appear tomorrow morning before
the Lebanese judge who will either charge them or release them.
I have not heard sofar of attorneys.Did they ask to have a lawyer assist them?
Will they stand before the prosecutor with or without their lawyers?
To Anony 8:06PM
It is hard to believe that any of the three would NOT have hired and consulted with a lawyer long ago - even before they left office! So not having one there today or even tomorrow might not mean much.
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