Lebanese President Michel Aoun stated he is ready to provide testimony regarding the Beirut port explosion that occurred last year, should authorities wish to hear from him. Aoun was quoted during a meeting with Prosecutor General Ghassan Oueidat on Friday: "No one is above justice, no matter how high their status. Justice is achieved through the competent judiciary, which provides the necessary guarantees," according to a statement from the presidential office.
The explosion on August 4 of last year, caused by the unsafe storage of a massive quantity of ammonium nitrate for years, resulted in the deaths of over 200 people, injured thousands, and destroyed large areas of the capital.
Last month, the investigation led by Judge Tarek Bitar was stalled as requests sent to parliament and the government to lift immunity and enable questioning of several senior officials were either rejected or delayed. Many Lebanese feel angered that almost a year after the incident, no high-ranking official has been charged.
On Thursday, Speaker of Parliament Nabih Berri stated that the parliament is ready to lift the immunity of its members to allow for questioning, but did not provide specifics regarding the timing or manner in which this would occur.
