Let the Games Begin

The report is out, and can be viewed here (and here).

I'll be updating this post with the report conclusions as I read through it.

Update 1: (p. 39) Conclusion: There is probable cause to believe that the decision to assassinate former Prime Minister, Rafik Hariri, could not have been taken without the approval of top ranked Syrian security official and could not have been further organized without the collusion of their counterparts in the Lebanese security services.

Update 2: (p. 39) Conclusion: Through the constant wire-tapping of Mr. Hariri’s telephone lines, the Syrian and Lebanese security and intelligence services were kept informed of his movements and contacts.

Update 3: (p. 40) Conclusion: Through the constant wire-tapping of Mr. Hariri’s telephone lines, the Syrian and Lebanese security and intelligence services were kept informed of his movementsand contacts.

Update 4: (p. 43) Conclusion: It would not have been difficult for individuals outside of Hariri’s “inner circle” to predict the route that his convoy would follow on 14 February 2005. The Mitsubishi Canter van shown on the HSBC bank CCTV security system was the carrier of the explosives. The negligence of the Lebanese authorities to undertake proper investigative measures and a full-scale professional crime scene examination immediately after the blast has made it difficult to resolve key questions regarding the execution of the bombing, such as the type of explosive used, or may have resulted in the potential loss of important evidence, such as useful CCTV videos.

Update 5: (p. 44) Conclusion: The investigation of the prepaid telephone cards is one of the most important leadsnin this investigation in terms of who was actually on the ground executing the assassination. This is a line of investigation that needs to be pursued thoroughly.

Update 6: (p. 45)Conclusion: It appears that the jamming devices in Hariri’s convoy were operational and functional on 14 February at the time of the blast. Further investigation may provide information about how the IED was activated.

Update 7: (p. 48) Conclusion: The explosion that killed Mr. Hariri and 22 others took place above ground. For this purpose, an amount of no less than 1000 kilgrams of military explosives was used.

Update 8: (p. 58) Conclusion: The evidence, including his links to other important figures, especially Mustapha Hamdan and the Republican Guard, his telephone calls and his involvement in the Lebanese investigation into Mr. Abu Adass, make Ahmad Abdel-Al a key figure in any ongoing investigation.

Addendum:

The report, as a whole, is worth reading. The first twenty pages or so are banal, but later on, even though alot of the general issues are those that we already know, Mehlis provides interesting detail on quite a few aspects. It is a shame though that it doesn't provide the closure Lebanon has been waiting for ... but I hope this will be enough for the first steps. For a change, I'm going to dispense with my realism and hold onto a whisp of optimism.

Regardless, all that really matters is how this plays out in Lebanon, Syria, and the international opinion. I am in no position now, to predict that.

Even with all the suspicions that have been going around, it is truly saddening to read all the accusations, evidence (especially some of the conversations), and conclusions in writing.

For one of the few times in my life, I don’t know what to say.

Let alone how to react.

posted by Lazarus, 6:58 PM