"The people, the army, and justice," can be read in front of the silos at the port of Beirut, devastated by the double explosion on August 4, 2020. (Credit: Matthieu Karam/L'OLJ.)
Judge Tarek Bitar, on Friday, heard chief public prosecutor Ghassan Khoury at the Court of Cassation, as part of his investigation into the double explosion at the Beirut Port.
According to press reports, the questioning lasted about 15 minutes before Khoury returned to his office at the Beirut Justice Palace.
Khoury is among those against whom Bitar had filed charges, especially for negligence in handling procedures related to the storage of ammonium nitrate. The judiciary received a report from State Security, which did not lead to a more in-depth investigation.
Third judge questioned
On August 4, 2020, one of the largest non-nuclear explosions in history devastated significant parts of the Lebanese capital, killing over 220 people and injuring more than 6,500. The blast was caused by a fire in a port warehouse where tons of ammonium nitrate were unsafely stored. Despite repeated warnings to top officials accusing them of negligence.
An investigation was opened in Lebanon, and Judge Bitar had to pause it in January 2023, facing hostility from a large part of the political class, including Hezbollah, and a series of legal actions against him. He resumed his investigation in early 2025 and questioned several former officials, including former Prime Minister Hassane Diab and former Interior Minister Nohad Machnouk.
Khoury is the third judge to be questioned by Judge Bitar since the resumption of the investigation, after the questioning of two summary judges, who were in office in Beirut during the unloading and storage of the ammonium nitrate that led to the massive explosions.
Among those Bitar still has to question are former Attorney General Ghassan Oueidate and former Transport Minister Ghazi Zeaiter. After the announcement of charges against him, Oueidate retaliated by launching charges against Bitar, accusing him of "power usurpation and rebellion against justice."
