United Nations, Sept 30 (ZEENEWS.COM) A young male suicide bomber, probably non-Lebanese, detonated up to 1,800 kilograms of explosives inside a van to assassinate former Prime Minister Rafik Hariri in Beirut last year, the head of the UN-backed probe into the killing has told the Security Council.

Briefing the Council as he delivered his latest progress report on the work of the International Independent Investigation Commission (IIIC), Serge Brammertz said DNA analysis conducted on human remains found at the crime scene "produced crucial results" about a man, probably non-Lebanese, whom investigators believe carried out the bombing.

The report said a tooth found at the scene, and linked to more than 30 other pieces of human remains from an unknown individual, has been identified as belonging to a man in his early 20s. The tooth has a distinguishing mark on its surface, rarely seen among the Lebanese, according to investigators.

Another complete tooth, located nearby earlier this year, is being tested to determine if it belongs to the same person and if that man's regional origin can be identified.

Analysis of the explosion indicates that as much as 1,800 kilograms of TNT or its equivalent was detonated in an improvised explosive device (IED) from inside a Mitsubishi van close to the convoy transporting Hariri through Beirut.

Brammertz said his investigating team is looking into evidence that the Lebanese Prime Minister was the subject of earlier surveillance and other assassination attempts before the bombing on February 14 last year, which also killed 22 others.