BEIRUT, Jul 3 (NNN-NNA) – The Lebanese judge, leading investigation into Beirut port’s blasts, announced yesterday that, he will start questioning caretaker Prime Minister, Hassan Diab, former ministers and current and former heads of security agencies.
Judge Tarek Bitar, set a date for interrogating Diab, without publically disclosing it, while he sent a letter to parliament, requesting the lifting of parliamentary immunity of former Public Works Minister, Ghazi Zeaiter, former Finance Minister, Ali Hasan Khalil and former Interior Minister, Nouhad Machnouk.
Bitar also asked the interior ministry for permission to prosecute Director of Lebanese Public Security, Abbas Ibrahim, while also charging former army chief, retired General Jean Kahwagi and former directors of army intelligence, Brigadier Generals, Kamil Daher, Ghassan Gharzeddine and Jawdat Oweidat.
Beirut’s port was hit by two big blasts on Aug 4, 2020, caused by the explosion of around 2,750 tonnes of ammonium nitrate, that had been stored in one of the port’s warehouses, since 2013. The cause behind the explosion has not yet been identified.
The blasts killed at least 200 people, wounded around 6,000 others and destroyed a big part of the city.
