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Lebanon’s top prosecutor ordered all suspects detained in the investigation into the deadly 2020 port explosion in Beirut to be released, lawyers for the two detainees and judicial officials said on Wednesday.
The move by chief prosecutor Ghassan Oweidat is another blow to the investigation, which has been stalled for years. The investigation threatens to crack down on Lebanon’s ruling elite, which is rife with corruption and mismanagement and helped plunge the country into an unprecedented economic crisis.
The decision comes after Judge Tarek Bitar on Monday resumed the investigation into the devastating port explosion, after a 13-month standstill over legal challenges brought by politicians accused in the investigation – including prosecutors.
Bitar in a statement Wednesday said Oweidat’s decision to release the detainees was “illegal” and said it was committed to completing the investigation.
“Judge Oweidat cannot indict the judge who previously accused him in the port investigation because of a conflict of interest,” Bitar said.
218 killed, more than 6,000 injured
Seventeen prisoners have been held for years in pre-trial detention after the huge port explosion on August 4, 2020. Hundreds of tons of highly explosive ammonium nitrate, a material used for fertilizer, exploded in the Port of Beirut, killing 218 people, injuring more. 6,000 and destroyed a large part of the Lebanese capital.
Lawyer Sakher El Hachem, who represents the former head of the port authority Hassan Koraytem and former port official, US citizen Ziad al-Ouf, told The Associated Press that he received confirmation of the decision from the court and that his client will be released on Wednesday.
Justice officials also said that Oweidat, who objected to Bitar’s decision to proceed with the paralysis investigation, would sue him. He spoke on condition of anonymity because he is not authorized to speak to the media.
The official said Oweidat sent the police to Bitar’s home to inform him of the allegations and instructed Bitar to visit his office, but the maverick investigator refused to speak to him.
Oweidat did not immediately return a call from The Associated Press seeking comment.
Mody Koraytem, brother of the former head of the port authority, said that the release of the prisoners was long overdue and he claimed that they were all innocent.
“As far as the port administration is concerned, there is nothing we can do [the ammonium nitrate]”he said, adding that he was doing his job because the judiciary cleared the deadly cargo to enter the port.
Several prisoners were released from prison on Wednesday afternoon, including former customs chief Badri Daher.
“Oweidat did the right legal thing,” said Daher’s lawyer, Celine Atallah. Daher was unavailable for comment.
Bitar is the second investigator to lead the investigation into the port explosion and has charged more than ten senior political, security, port and security officials.
Some survivors hope for a UN fact-finding mission
On Monday, Bitar ordered the release of five of the 17 detainees in the case and the indictment of eight officials, among them May’s top intelligence official. Abbas Ibrahim and Maj.-Gen. Tony Saliba, also Oweidat.
The judge also summoned at least 14 politicians and judicial, security and customs officials for questioning in February. Senior officials have repeatedly refused to appear for questioning since the beginning of the investigation.
Bitar took the post after the dismissal in February 2021 of Judge Fadi Sawwan due to complaints of bias by two cabinet ministers. If he is also removed, it could be the final blow to the investigation.
Most of the blast victims’ families have endorsed Bitar and called on the authorities to allow a thorough and unhindered investigation. But some have lost hope in domestic investigations and have advocated for a UN-mandated fact-finding mission.
Lebanon’s political leadership accused Bitar without evidence of bias in the investigation, some demanded his removal.
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