William Noun after his release from detention Saturday. (Credit: Anwar Amro/AFP)
BEIRUT — William Noun, the spokesperson for one of two Beirut blast victims' families groups, on Monday said that the return of Judge Tarek Bitar's is good "even if no one was arrested."
Earlier in the day Monday, Bitar announced he is retaking control of the investigation after more than a year of suspension.
Bitar told L'Orient-Le Jour that the decision to relaunch the investigation was made "on the basis of legal studies carried out for a month to break the deadlock in which multiple judicial appeals have placed the investigation."
Noun told L'Orient Today that he considers the move "positive" and that "it is [the group's] demand that the judge gets back to his office."
"Even if no one is arrested, we want the judge to be able to issue his indictments. After he does that, the prosecutions will become public and let the people know who bares responsibility," Noun added
Sources at the Beirut Justice Palace meanwhile said Bitar has decided to release five people detained in the investigation: former director of customs Chafic Merhi (Badri Daher's predecessor); Ahmad Rajab, a Syrian worker who had carried out welding maintenance on the warehouse where the ammonium nitrate was stored; Selim Chebli, the contractor responsible for supervising the work; Sami Hussein, director of operations at the port; and Michel Nahoul, project manager at the port.
The same sources said Bitar has initiated proceedings against eight other people, including head of General Security Abbas Ibrahim and head of State Security, Tony Saliba.
Noun said his group does not mind that Bitar released some of the detainees.
"We trust the judge," he said.
Ibrahim Hoteit, a spokesperson for the other family group opposing Bitar told L'Orient Today that he "doesn't know how the judge suddenly decided to wake up."
Hoteit's and Noun's groups disagree on Bitar's leadership of the investigation. Hoteit's group claims Bitar's summonings are politically driven, while Noun's group maintains faith in Bitar.
Bitar has been suspended from the investigation for more than a year due to numerous complaints filed by senior politicians who implicated in the investigation.