Portraits of the victims of the double explosion on Aug. 4 displayed in front of the Port of Beirut on June 4, 2021. (Credit: Matthieu Karam)
The judge in charge of the investigation into the double explosion at the Beirut port on Aug. 4, 2020, Tarek Bitar, is expected to hear between six and seven witnesses on Friday, according to a source at the courthouse contacted by L'Orient-Le Jour.
These hearings aim to complete his investigation. Judge Bitar also scheduled a hearing for the former director of State Security, Tony Saliba. According to L'Orient-Le Jour's information, the latter is currently abroad. Al-Modon reported that Saliba traveled to Cyprus on March 16.
On March 28, Tarek Bitar heard the testimony of seven witnesses. The first phase of the hearings, which began on Feb. 7, concluded on March 14, with the questioning of a former officer of General Security. Bitar previously questioned 14 people, including port officials, customs employees, General Security and army officers, as well as a manager of a company responsible for maintaining and securing hangar No. 12, where the ammonium nitrate, which caused the disaster, was stored.