DAMASCUS (Reuters) - Syria is considering a formal U.N. request to question six Syrian officials in Lebanon in connection with the killing of former Lebanese Prime Minister Rafik al-Hariri, a Syrian official said on Monday.In Beirut, a Lebanese political source said Syrian President Bashar al-Assad's brother-in-law Major General Assef Shawkat, head of military intelligence, is among the six.

The request by chief U.N. investigator Detlev Mehlis appeared designed to test Syria's willingness to comply with a Security Council resolution demanding full cooperation with the probe into the February 14 assassination of Hariri."We have received a request and we are considering it," the Syrian official said, speaking on condition of anonymity.Foreign Minister Farouq al-Shara, making no specific reference to the questioning request, said Damascus was keen to cooperate with the probe.He "affirmed that Syria is keen on cooperating fully with the international investigation committee and installing the appropriate mechanisms to do so", the official Syrian news agency SANA reported.

 National Catechism Day was celebrated across Lebanon yesterday. Cardinal Sfeir said that