Beirut Port Blast Case Nears Indictment After Six Years
According to the International Desk of Webangah News Agency, six years after the explosion at the Port of Beirut, the case is reportedly nearing the indictment stage. Lebanese prosecutor General, Judge Imad Al-Zein, has submitted a 270-page prosecutorial report on the investigation to Judge Tareq Bitar, the investigating magistrate.
The explosion on August 4, 2020, at the Port of Beirut claimed the lives of at least 235 people and left over 7,000 wounded. The blast occurred after a fire ignited at a warehouse where approximately 2,750 tons of ammonium nitrate had been stored without adequate safety measures.
Judge Bitar has so far charged over 70 individuals in connection with the case, including political, security, and military officials, as well as government employees. Shukri Haddad, a lawyer from the Beirut Bar Association, stated that the prosecutor’s opinion is not binding and the final decision on issuing indictments rests with the investigating judge.
Lebanese media outlet “Saha” reported that the prosecution has deemed former Lebanese President Michel Aoun to bear direct criminal responsibility due to his awareness of the presence of ammonium nitrate and his failure to take action to prevent the incident. Aoun has denied this allegation and filed a lawsuit against the publication of the report.
Haddad anticipates that indictments will be issued before the end of the year, after which the case will be referred to the Lebanese Supreme Judicial Council for trial. The investigation into this case has been halted numerous times over the past years due to political disputes.
