Syrian dissident convicted of lying about Hariri

 2008-08-30 20:03:02 -

DAMASCUS, Syria (AP) - A lawyer says a self-exiled former vice president of Syria has been found guilty by a military court of lying to U.N. investigators about the assassination of Lebanon's former prime minister. Former Vice President Abdul-Halim Khaddam defected in 2005 after accusing Syria's president of ordering the killing earlier that year of former Prime Minister Rafik Hariri of neighboring Lebanon. Syria's government has denied a role in the killing. The lawyer who brought the case against Khaddam says he was convicted in absentia on Aug. 17 of giving false testimony to U.N. officials investigating Hariri's killing. Lawyer Hussameddine Habash said Khaddam was convicted of a dozen charges in total and sentenced to life in prison and hard labor.