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.
[1] Külbel has worked with the Voltaire Network and writes analyses of Middle Eastern issues.
[1] 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 wrote a book, Mordakte Hariri, about the case.
[2][3][4] In 2008 he was jailed in Berlin for breaching a court order by linking to Stasi documents in connection with his investigation.