Hariri Assassination

Chronology            News Reports          Resources          Security Council Resolutions        UN Reports          UN Press Conferences and Statements    


Chronology

2005

February 14              Former Prime Minister Rafik Hariri assassinated.  BBC, CNN

February 15              Statement by the President of the Security Council

March 24[a]             Mission of Inquiry Report ("Fitzgerald Report")

March 29                  Letter from Syrian UN Ambassador to the UN Secretary-General commenting on the Fitzgerald Report

April 7                      Security Council Resolution 1595 establishing the International Independent Investigation Commission

October 14               Letter from Lebanese President Fuad Siniora to the UN Secretary-General

October 20               First IIIC Report (662); Unedited versions: on  MidEastWeb.org and on Washington Post.com

October 21               Press Conference by Detlev Mehlis on Report

October 31              Security Council Resolution 1636, urging Syria to cooperate with the IIIC

December 12           Second IIIC Report (775)

December 12           Gebran Tuéni assassinated.  Statements of the Security Council President and the UN Mission of France

December 13          Security Council meeting transcript

December 15          Security Council Resolution 1644
 

2006

January 17                 Secretary-General appointed Serge Brammertz of Belgium to head the Hariri investigation

March 14                  Third IIIC Report (161)

April 25                    Serge Brammertz meets Syrian President Assad

March 29                 Security Counsel Resolution 1664, requesting the establishment of an international tribunal

June 10                     Fourth IIIC Report (375)

June 14                     Briefing by Serge Brammertz to the Security Council

June 16                     Letter from the Secretary-General addressed to the President of the Security Council  

September 5             Assassination attempt on life of Samir Shehadeh.  BBC, Threats Watch, Stratfor

September 25           Fifth IIIC Report (760)

September 29           Serge Brammertz reports on progress on investigation

November 21           Cabinet Minister Pierre Gemayel assassinated in Beirut

December 12           Sixth IIIC Report (962)

2007

February 6               UN signs agreement with Lebanon setting up a Special Tribunal to prosecute suspected killers of Hariri

March 15                Seventh IIIC Report (150)

Published Chronologies
Chronology of Events from, Mid 2004 - September 2005, from the UNIIIC Report, October 20, 2005
Explosions in Lebanon Since October 2004 - December 2006 (BBC)

Significant UN Press Conferences and Statements
February 15, 2005   Statement by the President of the Security Council
April 7, 2005           Security Council establishes the IIIC
May 24, 2005          Press Conference by Detlev Mehlis 
October 21, 2005    Press Conference by Detlev Mehlis on Second Report (662)
December 12, 2005 Statement US Ambassador to the UN
December 13, 2005 Press Release, Detleve Mehlis: It Remains to Be Seen Whether Syrian Cooperation Would be Full and without Consideration"  UN Webcast
January 17, 2006     Secretary-General appointed Serge Brammertz of Belgium to head the Hariri investigation
September 26, 2006 Serge Brammertz reports on progress on investigation
December 18, 2006 Serge Brammertz reports on progress on investigation
March 21, 2007       Press Statement, Significant Progress Made by Commission Investigating Hariri Assassination.  UN Webcast

Resources
UN News Centre: Hariri Attack Investigation
Embassy of the Syrian Republic: Syrian's Stance Towards Mehlis Report
Lebanese Lobby Photo Album: Rafik Hariri
Photo Analysis of Hariri Assassination Scene Shows it was an Underground Explosion: MidEastWeb.org
Jurist: Hariri Assassination Probe
Rafik Hariri Official Website: www.hariri.com
Rafik Hariri: www.hariri.info
Reviews of the Fitzgerald Report: Center for Special Studies and SyriaComment.com.
 

News Reports

2005
February 15         Beirut Blast "Was Suicide Attack," BBC
February 25         UN Investigates Hariri Assassination, CBC News
February 25         Can Syria Escape Unscathed from the Lebanese Crisis?, Dar al-Hayat
August 30             Lebanon ex-security chiefs held, BBC
October 21           Steven Cook, CFR Interview
October 21           Background on Syria and the Rafiq Hariri Investigation, Washington Post
October 21           Hariri Investigation: Key Figures, BBC
October 27           The Money Scandal Behind the Hariri Assassination, Time.com
October 31           Syria Starts its Own Investigation Committee into Hariri Assassination, ArabicNews.com
November 1         Syrian FM addresses UN Security Council on Hariri Assassination Report, ArabicNews.com
November 4         Syrian Judicial Committee Begins Probe into Hariri's Killing, China.org
November 5         Syrian Flexibility in Responding to UN Resolution, ArabicNews.com
November 5         Syrian judicial committee announces its headquarters and communication numbers, ArabicNews.com
November 8         King Hails Syrian Cooperation with UN, Jordan Times
December 7         Syria Attacks Evidence as U.N. Case Turns More Bizarre, New York Times
December 12       U.N. Finds More Signs of Syrian Involvement in Lebanese Killing, USinfo.state.gov
December 12       Remarks by U.S. Ambassador John Bolton to the UN on the Mehlis Report, Press Release, US Mission to the UN
December 13       Syria Slows Hariri Probe, UPI International Intelligence
December 14       Syria Makes its Point at the UN, Souria.com
December 15       The Second Mehlis Report: Summary and Remarks, Agoravox.com
 

2006
January              Lebanon/Syria, Security Council Report
January 20         US Freezes Asef Shawkat Assets, ArabicNews.com
January 21         Iran Defends Syria's al-Assad in Hariri Probe, Iran Focus
January 31         UN Official Reports Broad Support for Tribunal with International Character, UN News Service
March 3            Setback for Inquiry Into Hariri Assassination, The Independent
March 10          Deliberations of the 12th Arab Parliamentary Union Conference, Ain al-Yaqeen
March 15          From Lebanon to Brazil - Rana Leaves Trail of Scandal, Gulfnews.com
April 25             Head of UN Probe Into Hariri Murder Has First Meeting with Syrian President, UN News Centre
April 28             Bush Freezes Assets of Hariri Assassination Suspects, Daily Times (Pakistan)
September 25    Brammertz Delivers Hariri Probe Report to Annan Amid Controversy Over its Content, Narharnet.com
November 1      Rafik Hariri Assassination: Move to Freeze Suspects' Assets, European Parliament News
November 20    Security Council Reviews Plan for Hariri Assassination Tribunal, USinfo.gov
December 18     UN Probe Into Murder of Former Lebanese Leader Nears Sensitive Stage – Inquiry Chief, UN News Centre

2007
January 27        Bush promises full Hariri investigation, CNN
February 6        Hariri Murder Tribunal Awaits Approval After UN and Lebanon Sign Deal, UN News Centre
February 7        Lebanon's Pro-Syrian President Says Prime Minister's Letter to UN on Hariri Tribunal is Unconstitutional, Asharq al-Awsat/AP
February 14      Anti-Syrian Lebanese crowds honor slain Hariri, Reuters
March 21         Hariri assassination probe briefing, UN Webcast
March 26          Latest Developments in the Hariri Investigation: The 7th Report of the Independent Commission, Counterterrorism Blog
March 28          How Beirut Police Fingered Syria in Hariri Assassination, Wall Street Journal
April 4              Memo Seeks U.N. Action in Hariri Case, Asharq al-Awsat/AP
April 6              Berri Asks Saudis to Help End International Tribunal Dispute, Naharnet.com