Lebanese parliament shields outgoing PM Hassan Diab after judge summons him for probe

The Lebanese parliament on Friday, 27 August 2021, told the judge who is investigating last year's Beirut port explosion that he had exceeded his powers by issuing a subpoena for caretaker Prime Minister Hassan Diab. Judge Tareq Bitar, the lead investigator into Beirut’s devastating port explosion, on Thursday, issued a subpoena for the premier for interrogation next month after he failed to show up for questioning. On August 4 last year, a colossal blast, triggered by illegal storage of ammonium nitrate, killed more than 214 people, injured over 6,000 people and obliterated the “Paris of the East”. In the aftermath, a probe into the explosion was initiated and last month judge Tareq Bitar confirmed charges of negligence against outgoing PM Hassan Diab and three former ministers. 

According to the Associated Press, Judge Tareq Bitar has ordered the country's security forces to bring PM Diab to the main courthouse in the capital 24 hours before the new date, September 20. This is not the first time a minister has been called in relation to the blast probe. Previously, four former ministers were called but they were safeguarded by the Lebanese Parliament against questioning. Diab himself refused to be interrogated last year after he was summoned by the then lead investigator Fadi Sawan. 

Beirut explosion

A colossal explosion rocked the Lebanese capital Beirut on August 4 killing over 157 and injuring over four thousand people. An investigation to find the exact trigger of the explosion is underway, however, officials are blaming tons of ammonium nitrate stored inside the safe house for the destruction. Recently, the country’s Prime minister Hassan Diab revealed that the dangerous warehouse, which exploded stored 2,750 tons of ammonium nitrate for the past 6 years.

However, he said that he would not like to ‘pre-empt the investigation.’ Calling it a catastrophe, he demanded the strictest punishment for those responsible. President Michel Aoun also condemned the “unacceptable” storage of the dangerous material, declaring a three day mourning period in the country. In addition, he has also announced a release of 100 billion Lira of emergency funds to tackle the devastation. In the aftermath of the explosion, the Country’s Defense Council has said that those responsible would be face maximum punishment.

Image: AP