While the political authority attempts to obscure the truth of what occurred on August 4th, a French judicial delegation consisting of two judges and a translator met with the investigative judge, Judge Tarek Bitar, today, Wednesday, January 18, for a judicial mission dedicated to following up on the investigations into the port case. Tarek Bitar, who has been sidelined from the investigation file, welcomed the French delegation in his office, closed since 2021, at the Beirut Palace of Justice, presenting to them the obstacles he has faced in this case due to the lawsuits directed against him.
The lengthy meeting lasted over three hours, during which all recent developments in this case were discussed. According to information from "Al-Modon," the French delegation is expected to meet with Bitar again later today.
**Bitar's Stance**
Emphasizing the importance of this "exceptional" visit and to provide details, "Al-Modon" interviewed Judge Tarek Bitar. In a sharp tone, he asserted his commitment to this case, stating: "I will not give up on the port file under any pressure, and I will not step down from this case." In response to the question from "Al-Modon" regarding the French delegation's request to access the investigation file, especially since it is not the first time that the French judiciary has sought to follow up on the case, Bitar replied: "I will not hand over any document from my file until I return to the investigation, and I am ready to cooperate with the French judiciary to achieve justice."
**New Lawsuits**
Any lawsuits filed against a judge should be sent only to his office at the Palace of Justice and not to his home. However, Bitar does not recall how many lawsuits have been filed against him to remove him from the port file, as the number has exceeded forty. The latest lawsuit was sent this morning by the Baabda Court to Judge Bitar's home, but he did not receive it due to his presence at the Palace of Justice.
**Specific Judicial Mission**
The visit of the French delegation to Bitar is considered a specific judicial mission, separate from French political authority. The French judiciary seeks to understand the status of the investigations and requires clear answers from the Lebanese judiciary regarding the reasons for the obstruction of this file, especially since the August 4 explosion claimed the lives of French citizens, and their families have called for French judicial intervention to uncover the truth.
There is no doubt that visits by European delegations, including the French delegation to Beirut to follow up on some important judicial files, present a rare opportunity. Therefore, most citizens are trying to take advantage of the presence of the delegations within the Palace of Justice to appeal to them. However, some judicial opinions familiar with the goals of these visits consider that any investigation not in the interest of the Lebanese state is unimportant, believing that international courts pursue their own interests. It is possible that the goals of the European delegation include securing the funds of the Governor of the Central Bank of Lebanon in Switzerland for the benefit of the French state, while the French delegation's interest in the port case stems from its pursuit to investigate the deaths of French citizens.
**Interrogation Sessions**
In this context, the European judicial delegation resumed interrogation sessions in the Court of Cassation for the third consecutive day, questioning Nouman Naddour, the executive director of the Central Bank of Lebanon, and Riad Sharafeddine, who held several important positions at the Central Bank, most notably as the first deputy governor in 2009 and 2019.
Simultaneously with the interrogation session with the witness Nouman Naddour, a Lebanese citizen met with a judge from the French delegation, complaining about his pending legal case stuck in the criminal court since 2010. He waited outside the courtroom to urge the European delegation to intervene to help him. In response to his plea, the French judge requested that he submit his documents in the Belgian court for follow-up.
Thus, once again, we had to wait for the "outside" to feel that someone is questioning the corruption of the banks and their pillars… and who still questions and searches for the truth about the explosion that destroyed the capital and devastated its people.
