Jamil al-Sayed (L), Raymond Azar (C) and Ali al-Hage (R) (Xinhua/AFP photo)

File photo of Ali al-Hage  (Xinhua)

    UNITED NATIONS, Aug. 30 (Xinhuanet) -- The UN inquiry into the assassination of former Lebanese Prime Minister Rafik Hariri identified three former heads of Lebanese intelligence and security agencies and a former member of parliament as suspects in the car bombing, UN spokeswoman Marie Okabe said Tuesday.

    The Security Council set up the UN International Independent Investigation Commission (UNIIIC) on April 7 to probe the bomb attack after an initial UN fact-finding mission found Lebanon's own probe seriously flawed and declared Syria, with its troop presence, primarily responsible for the political tension preceding the assassination.

    On the orders of Commission head Detlev Mehlis and with the full cooperation of the Lebanese police, the homes and premises of the suspects, who are Brig Gen Raymond Azar, Maj. Gen Jameel al-Sayeed and Ali al-Hajj as well as former member of parliament Nasser Kandil, were searched for evidence.

    With the exception of Kandil, who is in Syria, the suspects are being interviewed, Okabe told reporters at the regular noon briefing, adding that a fifth person who was previously declared a suspect,  Gen. Mustafa Hamdan, was summoned for a second interview.     

    Hariri's assassination in February led to renewed calls for thewithdrawal of all Syrian troops and intelligence agents who had been in Lebanon since the early stages of the country's 1975-1990 civil war. Syria withdrew its troops from its smaller neighbor in April. Enditem