Judge Tarek Bitar, the lead investigator into the Beirut Port Blast, reassured the victim’s families that the pressures and threats will not make him back down from the investigation.
“I will not back down from the Beirut port file unless I’m removed through the available legal means,” he told the families.
Judge Bitar has been the target of numerous threats and frivolous legal actions in a bid to stop his investigation into the Beirut Port explosion.
He told the families that the accusations of selectivity in his investigation were baseless and unfounded.
In addition to the legal actions attempted against him, Amal and Hezbollah undertook a protest on October 14th to demand his removal from the investigation. That protest escalated from its start into heavy gunfire in what is now referred to as the Tayyouneh Clashes.
Hezbollah had threatened Judge Tarek Bitar, warning him if the legal path doesn’t work to remove him from the investigation, they will use remove him by other means.
Former Prime Minister Hassan Diab and former ministers Machnouk, Ali Hassan Khalil, and Ghazi Zeaiter used similar legal strategies to evade prosecution.
The Court of Cassation has rejected all requests from the suspects to stop the judge, allowing him to continue his investigation.
His predecessor, Judge Fadi Sawan, was also a target of threats and political pressure and was ultimately dismissed due to similar legal tactics.
