[Mb-civic] CBC News - SYRIAN INTERIOR MINISTER COMMITS SUICIDE: REPORT

Wed Oct 12 18:17:58 PDT 2005

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SYRIAN INTERIOR MINISTER COMMITS SUICIDE: REPORT
WebPosted Wed Oct 12 08:49:23 2005

---Syria's Interior Minister Ghazi Kanaan committed suicide in his office
on Wednesday, said the official state news agency, weeks after he was
questioned about the assassination of a former Lebanese prime minister.

"Interior Minister Brig.-Gen. Ghazi Kenaan died in his office this
afternoon after committing suicide and the authorities are investigating
the incident," said the Syrian Arab News Agency.

The government provided no further details on the death.

Three weeks ago, United Nations investigators questioned the 63-year-old
Kanaan as part of their investigation into the assassination of former
Lebanese prime minister Rafik Hariri.

 FROM FEB. 25, 2005: UN investigates Hariri assassination

Hariri, along with 16 other people, died in a Feb. 14 bombing in Beirut.

Many in Lebanon blame the country's Syrian-backed government for Hariri's
death, but Syria denies involvement. Four pro-Syrian Lebanese generals
have been arrested and charged in connection with Hariri's death.

Hours before the news of his death broke, Kanaan called into the radio
station Voice of Lebanon.

"I think this is the last statement I might give," he told the
interviewer.

"I want to make clear that our relation with our brothers in Lebanon was
based on love and mutual respect &#8230; We have served Lebanon's
interest with honour and honesty," he said.

Syrian troops spent 29 years in Lebanon. They pulled out this year.

A former Baathist major general, Kanaan served as Syria's military
intelligence chief from 1982 to 2002. He was married with four sons and
two daughters.