Explosions at the port of Beirut: Judge Bitar again forced to suspend his investigation

Published on : 04/11/2021 – 18:16

As Lebanon continues to plunge into political and economic crisis, Judge Tareq Bitar, in charge of the investigation into the double explosion at the port of Beirut in August 2020, was forced on Thursday November 4 to again suspend his investigations, a a judicial source told AFP. A third suspension due to the appeal of a former minister.

Tareq Bitar is under intense pressure, especially from the powerful pro-Iranian Hezbollah, who accuses him of politicizing the investigation into this double explosion which has left more than 215 dead, and demands his replacement.

>> To read also: “Explosions at the port of Beirut: who wants the skin of judge Tarek Bitar?”

The case paralyzes the government, which has not met for three weeks due to Hezbollah’s demands, and escalated into violence that left seven people dead on October 14.

The magistrate “was informed by the Court of Cassation of an appeal presented by former minister Youssef Fenianos (..), which forced him to suspend the investigation,” said the judicial source.

In total, fifteen complaints against the judge

Tareq Bitar had issued in September an arrest warrant remained unfulfilled against this former Minister of Public Works after his refusal to appear.

Politicians of all stripes refuse to be questioned by the judge, even though the authorities blamed the tragedy, which destroyed entire districts of Beirut, on the storage without precautionary measures of huge quantities of ammonium nitrate.

The politicians involved have lodged a total of fifteen complaints against Judge Bitar for obstructing the investigation, according to the judicial source, forcing him to suspend his investigations twice in October and September.

Some fear that the magistrate will meet the same fate as his predecessor, Fadi Sawan, dismissed in February after the indictment of senior officials.

Blamed for criminal negligence, the authorities are accused by the families of the victims and NGOs of torpedoing the investigation to avoid charges.

With AFP