'Those responsible will be tried,' promises Joseph Aoun

President Joseph Aoun promised Thursday to bring those responsible for the deadly double explosion at the port of Beirut to justice, during a meeting in Baabda with a delegation of relatives of the victims of the blasts that killed more than 220 people and wounded 6,500 on Aug. 4, 2020.

"From now on, justice will take its course, the responsible will be tried, and the innocent will be exonerated," the head of state told his visitors. "We must all work to ensure that justice is served. My commitment is clear: We must uncover the whole truth and hold accountable those who caused this catastrophe. This is the only way to lift our country out of corruption and negligence. We will spare no effort to build a state that respects and protects the rights of its citizens. May this tragedy serve as a lesson for a better future," Aoun added.

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Former prosecutor Ghassan Oueidat refuses to be notified of summons from Judge Bitar

The Aug. 4, 2020, explosions, which are among the largest non-nuclear blasts in history, devastated much of the Lebanese capital. The explosion was caused by a fire in a port warehouse where tons of ammonium nitrate were being stored without precautions, despite repeated warnings to the highest authorities, who are accused of negligence.

The investigation into the explosions at the Beirut port has repeatedly stalled due to political pressure. In early February, Investigative Judge Tarek Bitar at the Court of Justice resumed his hearings after nearly three years of interruption, due to repeated appeals from implicated political officials aiming to remove his authority over the case assigned to him in 2021.

"We trust President Aoun ... We hope that justice will be served and that we will learn the truth during his term," said William Noun, whose brother Joe was among the firefighters killed in the disaster, speaking on behalf of the delegation. He also asked Lebanese authorities to care for people wounded in the explosion, some of whom require ongoing medical treatment. "There is no division between the families of the port victims," Noun said, as another group of victims' families, led by Ibrahim Hoteit, who also lost his brother in the explosion, is leading a campaign against Judge Tarek Bitar.

Several of the victims' relatives then spoke, sharing their suffering with the president and calling for a prompt investigation. "We call on the president not to let this case escape justice," the delegation declared.