The Beirut Port explosion case is approaching a critical phase. Deputy Prosecutor General Judge Mohammed Saab has completed his main readings in the file, preparing to hand it over on Tuesday to Investigative Judge Tarek Bitar. Judge Bitar will then begin assessing the demands of the Public Prosecution and taking necessary actions before issuing an indictment.
A judicial source told 'Asharq Al-Awsat' that Bitar "will review the readings and may choose to adhere to the Prosecution’s demands or disregard them based on the facts and evidence uncovered during the investigation."
The source confirmed that if the readings include accusations against new individuals or call for additional witnesses, the investigative judge must schedule sessions to question the accused or hear from witnesses, depending on the specifics of each case and the evidence available.
Summoning Politicians and Security Officials
The file is expected to see significant judicial developments, as estimated by the same source, "involving the summoning of all previously interrogated politicians, military leaders, security officials, and judges by Bitar," who had not reached final decisions regarding them earlier. The resulting decisions "will vary based on each individual's situation and the evidence against them, potentially leading to arrest warrants, release on bail, or freedom." The source added, "Following these procedures, Bitar will prepare the indictment, likely to be issued before the end of this year."
Bitar had previously interrogated former Prime Minister Hassan Diab, former Interior Minister Nohad Machnouk, former General Security Director Abbas Ibrahim, State Security Director Tony Saliba, former Army Commander Jean Kahwaji, and several top officers, judges, and administrative staff as defendants, leaving them under investigation. In contrast, he issued arrest warrants for former ministers Ali Hassan Khalil and Youssef Fenianos, but former minister Ghazi Zeaiter did not appear.
Resolving Differences
Over months, Deputy Prosecutor General Mohammed Saab thoroughly examined Bitar's years-long investigations, scrutinizing evidence, documents, and legal requests in record time. He issued a reading embodying the Prosecution’s stance as a partner in this case, resolving prolonged differences between Bitar and the Public Prosecution before Judge Jamal Hajar’s appointment and the resumption of investigations under his leadership, assigning Judge Saab to prepare the main readings, reaffirmed by current Prosecutor General Judge Ahmed Rami Haj, who asked Saab to continue examining the file and preparing the readings.
The judicial source dismissed rumors of a decision being issued within a week or two, affirming that the investigative judge “isn't bound by a specific timeframe.” However, Bitar intends to issue the decision by year-end, aiming for trials to commence in the Judicial Council by 2027.
Anticipated Shock
The awaited indictment is expected to cause a wide shock in political, judicial, and public circles, owing to the information and facts it will reveal about one of Lebanon's major catastrophes, and the responsibilities it will attribute to political, security, military, judicial, and administrative figures. It will detail the import process of ammonium nitrate from Georgia to Beirut in 2013, the circumstances of its unloading at the port, and the entities responsible for its storage and protection within Hangar 12 for seven years, leading up to its explosion on August 4, 2020.
The decision is also anticipated to determine, based on investigative and technical reports, the explosion's cause—whether due to error, negligence, intentional security actions, or an Israeli aerial attack."
Although Judge Bitar’s judicial pursuit, particularly of political, judicial, and security officials, has drawn debate, it is expected to extend to the indictment, especially among accused figures. The judicial source stated that the investigative judge "will specify in his decision the legal responsibilities of around 70 accused individuals, which range from willful killing, negligence, misconduct, to breach of duty. It is also predicted that trials will be blocked for some accused lacking sufficient evidence," according to 'Asharq Al-Awsat.'