Syrian Interior Minister dead from apparent suicide
{{date|October 12, 2005}}

The [[w:Syria|Syrian]] [[w:Syrian Interior Ministery|Interior Minister]], [[w:Ghazi Kanaan|Ghazi Kanaan]], has committed [[w:suicide|suicide]]&ndash;according to the official [[w:Syrian News Agency|Syrian News Agency]] SANA. The suicide has caused much controversy, as some Middle Eastern analysts suggest he may have been executed as a sacrificial lamb.

Kanaan had been under investigation two weeks earlier by a [[w:U.N.|United Nations]] team probing the [[w:assassination|assassination]] of former [[w:Lebanon|Lebanese]] Prime Minister [[w:Rafik Hariri|Rafik al-Hariri]]. The assassination of Hariri took place on February 14, 2005 when explosives equivalent to around 1000 kg of [[w:TNT|TNT]] were detonated as his motorcade drove past the St. George Hotel in the Lebanese capital, [[w:Beirut|Beirut]]. Syrian President Bashar al-Assad told CNN that he was not aware of any evidence suggesting Hariri's death was not suicide. "If indeed there is a Syrian national implicated in it, he would be considered a traitor and most severely punished," the President said.

"The minister of interior died in his office this afternoon after committing suicide, and the authorities are investigating the incident," the SANA report stated.  It is reported that the suicide was carried out by shooting himself in the mouth.

Earlier in the day, Kanaan went on Lebanese radio station, [[w:Voice of Lebanon|Voice of Lebanon]], denying that he showed the U.N. investigators cheques paid to him by the late Hariri. Kanaan was Syria's most powerful intelligence chief in Lebanon, which was ruled by Syria until its military withdrawal earlier this year.  He returned to [[w:Damascus|Damascus]] in 2002 as political intelligence chief and joined the [[w:cabinet|cabinet]] in [[w:2004|2004]]. 

The UN report on Hariri's assassination is expected to be out at the end of October. The UN investigator, Detlev Mehlis, questioned senior Syrian officials in Damascus during a visit at the end of September.  The [[w:United States|United States]] froze Kanaan's assets in the country during July saying he had aided [[w:terrorism|terrorism]] in [[w:Lebanon|Lebanon]].

Some parties have suggested that Kanaan's death was arranged to protect others involved in the assassination of Hariri, thus preempting action against others as a result of the pending UN report.

== Related Text ==
* http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/middle_east/4335698.stm

== Sources ==
*{{source|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/middle_east/4334442.stm
|title=Syrian minister 'commits suicide'
|author=
|pub=BBC News Online
|date=October, 12, 2005}}

*{{source|url=http://today.reuters.co.uk/news/newsArticle.aspx?type=worldNews&storyID=2005-10-12T112858Z_01_WRI240773_RTRUKOC_0_UK-SYRIA-MINISTER.xml
|title=Syrian interior minister commits suicide-agency
|author=
|pub=Reuters
|date=October, 12, 2005}}

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[[Category:Politics and conflicts]]
[[Category:Syria]]
[[Category:Middle East]]
[[Category:Bashar al-Assad]]
[[Category:Suicide]]

[[de:Syrischer Innenminister beging Selbstmord]]
[[ja:シリア・カナン内相が自殺]]
The Syrian Interior Minister, Ghazi Kanaan, has committed suicide–according to the official Syrian News Agency SANA. The suicide has caused much controversy, as some Middle Eastern analysts suggest he may have been executed as a sacrificial lamb.

Kanaan had been under investigation two weeks earlier by a United Nations team probing the assassination of former Lebanese Prime Minister Rafik al-Hariri. The assassination of Hariri took place on February 14, 2005 when explosives equivalent to around 1000 kg of TNT were detonated as his motorcade drove past the St. George Hotel in the Lebanese capital, Beirut. Syrian President Bashar al-Assad told CNN that he was not aware of any evidence suggesting Hariri's death was not suicide. "If indeed there is a Syrian national implicated in it, he would be considered a traitor and most severely punished," the President said.

"The minister of interior died in his office this afternoon after committing suicide, and the authorities are investigating the incident," the SANA report stated.  It is reported that the suicide was carried out by shooting himself in the mouth.

Earlier in the day, Kanaan went on Lebanese radio station, Voice of Lebanon, denying that he showed the U.N. investigators cheques paid to him by the late Hariri. Kanaan was Syria's most powerful intelligence chief in Lebanon, which was ruled by Syria until its military withdrawal earlier this year.  He returned to Damascus in 2002 as political intelligence chief and joined the cabinet in 2004. 

The UN report on Hariri's assassination is expected to be out at the end of October. The UN investigator, Detlev Mehlis, questioned senior Syrian officials in Damascus during a visit at the end of September.  The United States froze Kanaan's assets in the country during July saying he had aided terrorism in Lebanon.

Some parties have suggested that Kanaan's death was arranged to protect others involved in the assassination of Hariri, thus preempting action against others as a result of the pending UN report.

*
Politics and conflicts Syria Middle East Bashar al-Assad Suicide