Bassil in Kartaba: 'We tried to move the port explosion case forward'

BEIRUT — MP Gebran Bassil, president of the Free Patriotic Movement (FPM), began a tour on Sunday in the village of Kartaba, in the Jbeil district, where he laid a wreath at the memorial dedicated to the victims of the Beirut port explosion.

He was welcomed by the village's deputy municipal council president, Elie Beyrouthi.

Several firefighters from the same family, originally from this village, were killed in the horrific double explosion on Aug. 4, 2020, caused by a blast in a warehouse containing hundreds of tons of ammonium nitrate.

The explosion killed at least 230 people and injured more than 7,000. Since then, the investigation has stalled and an indictment has yet to be issued by Judge Tarek Bitar, who is heading the case, due to numerous obstacles set by influential figures who refuse to be questioned.

"We tried to move this case forward, especially because we want to know the truth, since innocent people paid a heavy price and want to hold us responsible for the explosion," Bassil said at the home of victim Joseph Roukoz. At the time, Michel Aoun, founder of the FPM and Bassil's father-in-law, was president of the republic, and Bassil himself was a minister.

He added: "We want the families of the victims to know the truth so they can find peace and the veil can be lifted from this case."

Mr. Bassil also visited the FPM office in this large village located in the hills above Jbeil.