Belgian to head UN Lebanon-Syria Hariri probe

A Belgian prosecutor with the International Criminal Court (ICC) will be the new head of a UN investigation into the assassination of former Lebanese prime minister Rafiq al-Hariri, the United Nations announced on Wednesday.

Serge Brammertz, now the deputy prosecutor of the Hague-based court, would replace German prosecutor Detlev Mehlis, who intends to leave the inquiry shortly after his successor arrives.

UN Secretary-General Kofi Annan sent a letter to the 15-nation Security Council, which authorized the investigation, telling them of his intention to appoint Brammertz. No objections are expected as key members had been consulted in advance.

"He will proceed to Beirut to take up his assignment as soon as practicable," UN spokesman Stephane Dujarric said. He intends to stay in Beirut for six months.

The appointment of Brammertz, a former federal prosecutor of Belgium, was to have been announced a month ago. But Annan delayed the appointment because Brammertz first needed to assure governments who support the International Criminal Court (ICC) that his departure would not delay investigations he is involved in regarding Sudan, Uganda and the Democratic Republic of the Congo.

Brammertz would take a leave of absence from the ICC, which was set up more than two years ago to prosecute individuals suspected of war crimes, crimes against humanity and genocide.

He was appointed to his ICC position in November 2003 for a six-year term and has had experience in chasing down terrorists in Belgium.

Although the United States opposes the ICC, Washington supported the choice of Brammertz last month as did other key Security Council members.

Dujarric also said that the United Nations will send a mission to Lebanon to offer the government assistance following Lebanon's request to try suspects in a tribunal that has an "international character."