Syria behind Hariri killing, says Mehlis

Despite repeated Syrian denials of involvement, outgoing German magistrate Detlev Mehlis who has been heading the investigation since June, showed not a flicker of doubt that its "authorities" were responsible.

Asked by the Arab daily Asharq al-Awsat if he was "perfectly convinced of Syria's responsibility in the murder of Hariri," Mehlis said: "Yes. The Syrian authorities are responsible," without giving further details.

His comments are set to further ratchet up the pressure on Syrian President Bashar al-Assad, coming just after the latest in a slew of killings of anti-Syrian critics that have hit Lebanon following the Hariri murder.

Mehlis insisted that "there is a link between the attacks that hit Lebanon" since Hariri's murder in February and the killing Monday in a massive car bomb of anti-Syrian MP and press magnate Gibran Tueni.