https://arab.news/ghx4h
- 鈥楽hould he drift off the course, we will remove him from his position,鈥� says head of Hezbollah鈥檚 Liaison and Coordination Unit
- Judge Tarek Bitar continues to question and subpoena former ministers and current MPs about the deadly Aug. 4, 2020 explosion
BEIRUT: Tarek Bitar, the judge leading the investigation into the August 2020 Beirut Port blast, received a threat from the militant Hezbollah group, according to Lebanese news reports.
Arab News learned that the head of Hezbollah鈥檚 Liaison and Coordination Unit, Wafiq Safa, visited Public Prosecutor Judge Ghassan Oweidat and the head of the Supreme Judicial Council, Judge Suhail Abboud, on Monday.
The motives behind the visits were unknown but Safa reportedly said, 鈥淏itar鈥檚 performance has raised the ire (of Hezbollah) and we will keep a close eye on his work until the end, and should he drift off the course, we will remove him from his position.鈥�
In response to the threat, Bitar said: 鈥淚t is fine, I do not care how they will remove me,鈥� according to Lebanese Broadcasting Corporation reporter Edmond Sassine.
Bitar, who issued several arrest warrants over the past few weeks pertaining to his investigation, set up sessions to question former ministers and current MPs Ali Hassan Khalil, Ghazi Zeaiter, and Nohad Al-Machnouk about their knowledge of the deadly Beirut Port explosion.
Bitar summoned Khalil for interrogation on Sept. 30 and Zeaiter and Machnouk and Oct. 1. The judge took advantage of the expiration of the extraordinary parliament mandate after the Najib Mikati government was granted the vote of confidence in a session held on Monday, and the automatic lifting of parliamentary immunities, pending the launch of the regular mandate in mid-October.
The Beirut Port explosion on Aug. 4, 2020, killed more than 200 and left 6,500 injured when thousands of tons of ammonium nitrate detonated along with quantities of seized explosives. The deadly blast destroyed the Beirut waterfront and its surrounding neighborhoods.
Bitar charged the former ministers with 鈥渁 felony of probable intent to murder鈥� in addition to 鈥渁 misdemeanor of negligence鈥� because they were aware of the presence of ammonium nitrate and 鈥渄id not take measures to avoid the explosion.鈥�
Parliament had previously refused Bitar鈥檚 request to question the current MPs and Prime Minister Hassan Diab, arguing that it was not within his jurisdiction and the case is the subject of prosecution before the Supreme Council for the Trial of Presidents and Ministers.
In August, Hezbollah Secretary-General Hassan Nasrallah questioned Bitar, who had summoned political and security officials for interrogation.
鈥淲here is the evidence?鈥� Nasrallah asked. 鈥淏ased on what is he accusing them of? Why has the judiciary not published the results of the technical investigation?鈥�
Nasrallah further accused Bitar of 鈥減laying a political game,鈥� saying that either he sticks to a clear, technical investigation, or the judiciary has to find another judge.