Foreign policy: freezing of funds and economic resources, restrictive measures against persons suspected of involvement in the assassination of former Prime Minister Rafiq Hariri in Lebanon

PURPOSE: To impose specific restrictive measures against certain persons suspected of involvement in the assassination of former Lebanese Prime Minister Rafiq Hariri

PROPOSED ACT: Council Regulation

CONTENT: The purpose of this Regulation is to freeze the funds and economic resources of designated persons who are suspected of being involved in the assassination of Rafiq Hariri. This is in line with measures taken by the United Nations Security Council in October 2005 following an international independent investigation commission looking into the February 2005 bombing that killed the former Lebanese Prime Minister and 22 others.

Security Council Resolution 1636(2005) includes, amongst others, the freezing of funds and economic resources of persons suspected of involvement in the planning, sponsoring, organising or perpetrating of the assassination and others. The Commission reminds us that the freezing of funds and economic resources falls within the scope of the TEU and the measures are similar to those imposed on persons and entities associated with Usama bin Laden, the Al-Qaida network, the Taliban, the mandate of the International Criminal Tribunal for the former-Yugoslavia and restrictive measures in respect of the Democratic Republic of Congo.