Identity of Mitsubishi Van Bomber Unknown

The identity of the suicide bomber, who detonated a large quantity of explosives concealed in a Mitsubishi van, killing ex-Premier Rafik Hariri and 22 others, remains unknown, the indictment released by the international tribunal said Wednesday.

“On 14 February 2005, at about 12:52, closed-circuit TV footage shows the Mitsubishi Canter van move slowly towards the St. Georges Hotel,” the indictment said.

At about 12:55, the male suicide bomber detonated the explosives concealed in the cargo area of the Mitsubishi Canter van

with engine block number 4D33-JO 1926.

“Forensic examination has established the quantity of explosives was approximately 2500 kilograms of TNT (trinitrotoluene) equivalent,” the indictment said.

“Fragments of the suicide bomber were recovered at the scene and forensic examination has established both that the remains were: (a) of a male, and (b) not of ABU ADASS,” it added.

Shortly after the explosion, two of the suspects named in the indictment Hussein Oneissi, 37 and Assad Sabra, 34, acting together, called Reuters and Al-Jazeera TV network in Beirut. Then Sabra called Al-Jazeera again and gave information on where to find a videotape that had been placed in a tree at ESCWA Square in Beirut. The videotape was recovered together with a letter.

In the video, which was later broadcast on television, a man named Ahmad Abu Adass falsely claimed to be the suicide bomber on behalf of a fictitious fundamentalist group using the name “Victory and Jihad in Greater Syria.”