Syrian ceasefire decision due - Telegraph In their latest report in August, the investigators said that Syrian government forces and allied militia had committed war crimes including murder and torture of civilians in what appeared to be a state-directed policy. The team has interviewed more than 1,100 victims, refugees and defectors. But they have not had contact with wounded soldiers or families of state forces killed by rebels, due to lack of access to Syria. Carla del Ponte, a former UN war crimes prosecutor, has joined the inquiry. Her eight years at the Hague-based International Criminal Tribunal for the former Yugoslavia were dominated by the pursuit and trial of former Yugoslav President Slobodan Milosevic, who died in 2006 before sentencing. Ms Del Ponte, asked about parallels with past investigations, said: "The similarity is of course we are handling the same crimes, crimes against humanity and war crimes for sure." She added: "My main task will be to continue the inquiry in the direction of determining the high-ranking political and military authorities responsible for these crimes." The investigators have drawn up a secret list of Syrian individuals and units suspected of committing crimes which they say could pave the way for future criminal prosecution. The list is locked in a safe in the office of UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Navi Pillay, who has repeatedly called for the Security Council to refer the conflict in Syria to the prosecutor of the International Criminal Court (ICC). The list could be handed over one day to a competent judicial body capable of respecting confidentiality and protecting witnesses, but that would require a decision by the Security Council, Mr Pinheiro said. The inquiry has received allegations about the use of cluster bombs, but had no concrete information, Mr Pinheiro said.