Families of Beirut port blast victims slam decision to replace judge Bitar

BEIRUT (AP) — Dozens of relatives of the victims of Beirut’s massive port blast protested Wednesday against the judiciary’s plan to name a second investigative judge, calling the move an attempt by the country’s political class to prevent justice after one of the world’s largest non-nuclear explosions.

The investigation into the blast, which killed 220 people, injured thousands and caused billions of dollars in damage has been blocked since December by Lebanon’s political powers. That’s after three former Cabinet ministers with close links to Hezbollah filed legal challenges against investigative judge Tarek Bitar.

Now, Justice Minister Henri Khoury , who represents Hezbollah’s ally president Michel Aoun in the caretaker cabinet and the Higher Judicial Council, Lebanon’s top judicial body, are looking into naming a second judge to release some port and customs officials as well as workers who have been detained without charges since the blast.

“What is happening is an attempt to remove the case from judge Bitar,” Youssef Diab, a Lebanese journalist who covers legal affairs told The Associated Press during the protest outside the office of the justice minister. “By naming a second investigative judge to approve the releases, it means that judge Bitar has been ripped of his powers.”

Many blame the tragedy on the Lebanese government’s longtime corruption, but the elite’s decades-old lock on power has ensured they are untouchable. The Aug. 4, 2020 explosions occurred when hundreds of tons of highly explosive ammonium nitrate, a material used in fertilizers, detonated at the port.

It later emerged that the ammonium nitrate had been shipped to Lebanon in 2013 and stored improperly at a port warehouse ever since. Senior political and security officials knew of its presence but did nothing.

Bitar has been the subject of harsh criticism by Lebanon’s powerful Hezbollah leader Hassan Nasrallah. Nasrallah called Bitar’s investigation a “big mistake” and said it was biased. He asked authorities to remove Bitar.

Bitar is the second judge to take the case. The first judge, Fadi Sawwan, was forced out after complaints of bias by two Cabinet ministers. if the same happens to Bitar, it could be the final blow to the investigation.

Lebanon’s factional political leaders, who have divvied up power among themselves for decades, closed ranks to thwart any accountability.

Diab, the journalist, said that Bitar should have been allowed to resume his work to issue the releases himself then continue the investigation.

Some independent legislators issued a statement calling the move by the justice minister to name a second judge “a fatal blow to the role of investigative judge Tarek Bitar.” The 13 legislators vowed not to give up and to use all means available to keep the investigation going.

This development comes a day after a Free Patriotic Movement parliamentary delegation and Higher Judicial Council chief Judge Suheil Abboud witnessed a “verbal clash”.

The meeting was dedicated to discussing the file of detained Customs chief Badri Daher, a close ally of Aoun and his son in law FPM leader Gebran Bassil who has been in custody since August 2020 in connection with the Beirut port blast case.

Associated Press/ News Agencies