Education
Born in Thuringia in 1956, Külbel graduated from the Humboldt University of Berlin in 1979 with a degree in criminal investigation and worked in the field for 11 years.
Born in Thuringia in 1956, Külbel graduated from the Humboldt University of Berlin in 1979 with a degree in criminal investigation and worked in the field for 11 years.
He also organised a karate championship in the German Democratic Republic, before becoming a journalist. Külbel has worked with the Voltaire Network and writes analyses of Middle Eastern issues. He came to international attention after publishing a counter-investigation on the assassination of former Lebanese prime minister Rafik Hariri, accusing Israel and the Mossad of orchestrating Hariri"s murder.
He presented his analysis at a conference in Damascus, Syria, on 7 May 2006.
He wrote a book, Mordakte Hariri, about the case. In 2008 he was jailed in Berlin for breaching a court order by linking to Stasi documents in connection with his investigation.