[JURIST] Progress continues to be made in the investigation into the February 2005 Beirut bombing assassination of former Lebanese Prime Minister Rafik Hariri [JURIST news archive], according to an interim report presented to the UN Security Council [official website] Tuesday. Chief UN investigator Serge Brammertz [official profile], successor to German prosecutor Detlev Mehlis, said that Syria has been complying with almost all requests from the UN investigative team since Brammertz took over the Hariri probe [UN backgrounder] in January. The report indicated that UN investigators were given access to records regarding the political arena in Lebanon and reviewed archives of Syrian military intelligence. AFP has more.

The report also said that investigators believe the individuals who carried out Hariri's assassination were experienced terrorists who were very "professional" in their planning and execution. Investigators said they cannot yet release the names of plotters because the probe is currently at a critical stage. Syrian President Bashar al-Assad [BBC profile] and Vice President Farouq al-Shara are expected to meet with UN investigators in April to discuss the assassination. Reuters has more.