5 years after Beirut port blast, Aoun promises justice
Authorities have said the explosion was triggered by a fire in a warehouse where tons of ammonium nitrate fertilizer had been stored haphazardly for years after arriving by ship, despite repeated warnings to senior officials. Judge Tarek Bitar resumed his investigation this year as Lebanon's balance of power shifted following a war between Zionist entity and Hezbollah that weakened the Iran-backed militant group, which had spearheaded a campaign for Bitar's resignation.
Aoun said the Lebanese state 'is committed to uncovering the whole truth, no matter the obstacles or how high the positions' involved. 'The law applies to all, without exception,' Aoun said in a statement.
Monday has been declared a day of national mourning, and rallies demanding justice are planned later in the day, converging on the port. 'The blood of your loved ones will not be in vain,' the president told victims' families, adding: 'Justice is coming, accountability is coming.'
After resuming work following a more than two-year impasse, Bitar has finished questioning defendants and suspects, a judicial official told AFP on condition of anonymity. Those questioned include former prime minister Hassan Diab, as well as military and security officials, while several former ministers did not appear for questioning, the official said. Bitar is waiting for some procedures to be completed, including receiving responses from several Arab and European countries following a request for 'information on specific incidents', the official added, without elaborating.
The judge will then finalize the investigation and refer the file to the public prosecution for its opinion before he issues an indictment, the official said. President Aoun said that 'we are working with all available means to ensure the investigations are completed with transparency and integrity'.
Prime Minister Nawaf Salam, a former International Court of Justice judge, said on Sunday that knowing the truth and ensuring accountability were national issues, decrying decades of official impunity. Aoun and Salam took office earlier this year, in the wake of the Zionist-Hezbollah war, with both leaders pledging to uphold judicial independence. Officials named in the investigation had filed a flurry of lawsuits seeking to prevent it from going forward.
Nobody is currently in custody over the case.
Human Rights Watch and Amnesty International said in a joint statement on Monday that 'despite the resumption of the investigation, the road to justice remains littered with political and legal challenges'. They urged authorities to ensure a comprehensive, unobstructed investigation that establishes 'the facts and circumstances surrounding the explosion, encompassing the full chain of responsibility', whether domestic or international.
Mariana Fodoulian from the association of victims' families said that 'for five years, officials have been trying to evade accountability, always thinking they are above the law.' 'We're not asking for anything more than the truth,' she told AFP. 'We won't stop until we get comprehensive justice.' — AFP
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