The former head of the UN probe into the assasination of former Prime Minister Rafik Hariri has dismissed as "ridiculous" a recent book published in Germany that accuses him of "misleading" the investigation. "I couldn't have worked for over 25 years investigating terrorism if it was true I was working for this or that side," Detlev Mehlis told The Daily Star in an exclusive interview from his native Germany.The book - "Hariri's assassination: Hiding Evidence in Lebanon," by German criminologist Juergen Cain Kuelbel - was recounted in a special report broadcast last week by Lebanon's New TV. "The claims made in the book, such as that of the jamming system used by Hariri being from an Israeli company, are completely false and simply ridiculous," said Mehlis, referring to one of the examples cited in the book as "proof" that Mehlis was distorting facts "in line with the demands of the US and Israeli administrations."
"I and several members of the UN commission investigated this issue, and the system used by Hariri was imported from a Western European country," said Mehlis.
He admitted he had not read the book - because it would be a "waste ... to spend any money on it" - but added that "based on what I have heard so far about it, I would say that they are all just pretty dumb accusations." When asked about other criticisms of his work, Mehlis said it was "to be expected." "My work involves investigating terrorist activities, which is heavy with political background," he said, "so I am bound to step on someone's toes."