March 15, 2010 - Iloubnan - STL appoints new chief of investigations

LEIDSCHENDAM - In a statement issued on Friday, the Office of the Prosecutor of the Special Tribunal for Lebanon announced the appointment of Mr Michael Taylor, a British national, as its Chief of Investigations.

"Mr Taylor has extensive experience in criminal investigations, starting in February 1979 with the London Metropolitan Police Service, where he served primarily within the Criminal Investigation Department and Specialist Operations", the statement said.

"Mr Taylor brings a wealth of expertise in counter-terrorism investigations. The highlights of his career in this field include his tenure as Detective Superintendent, Head of Intelligence, Counter-Terrorism Command at New Scotland Yard from March 2004 to August 2006, following which he was promoted to the post of Senior Investigating Officer and Detective Chief Superintendent at the Metropolitan Police’s Counter-Terrorism Command", it added.

During his service in his home country, Mr Taylor frequently represented the Metropolitan Police and Foreign and Commonwealth Office overseas and was assigned to some of the UK’s most complex and challenging international counter-terrorism investigations, including leading the UK response to the 2008 Mumbai terrorist attacks. In recognition of his services to international and national terrorism investigations, he was awarded the Queen's Police Medal in last year’s Queen's Birthday Honour’s List. He received the award on 9 December 2009 at Buckingham Palace.

Prior to his appointment as the OTP’s Chief of Investigations, Mr Taylor took an active part as Senior Investigator in the OTP Investigation Division, designing and developing the Office’s investigative strategy that he will now lead under the supervision of the Prosecutor.

Commenting on his appointment, Mr Taylor stated: “I am honoured that I was selected for this very important position, particularly at a time when our investigative efforts are running full-steam and significant and promising progress has been registered. I am fully committed to investing everything I can offer to ensure that we succeed in our endeavour of uncovering the truth and helping ensure that justice is done. I am fully aware of the responsibilities and the challenges that come with the job, but the highly professional and dedicated team I have been part of until recently and which I will be leading soon makes me confident that we are up to the task and that we will deliver on our mandate.”

Prosecutor Daniel A. Bellemare welcomed the appointment of Mr Taylor and stated: “Mr Taylor’s professionalism and expertise are very well established and recognized in the policing and counter-terrorism investigation communities. Every day during his service since joining our team in 2009 he has proved that he is a valuable asset, a high-calibre professional, a team player and an effective team leader. He has already earned the respect and confidence of the team. The fact that he emerged as the lead candidate during the competitive recruitment process and the interviews for the position of OTP Chief of Investigations confirms his well-established reputation as one of the finest professionals in the field. Not only is Mr Taylor the right person for the job, but his appointment ensures a seamless transition in the leadership of the investigation team and, more importantly, the continuity in the investigation process he himself helped design and carry out.”