Investigation into Beirut’s massive 2020 port blast resumes

By BASSEM MROUE and KAREEM CHEHAYEB
Associated Press

BEIRUT (AP) — Lebanese judicial officials say the judge investigating Beirut’s massive 2020 port blast resumed work after a nearly 13-month halt, ordering the release of some detainees and announcing plans to charge others, including two top generals. Judge Tarek Bitar’s work had been blocked since December 2021 pending a Court of Cassation ruling after three former Cabinet ministers filed legal challenges against him. Despite there being no ruling by the court, Bitar resumed working on the case Monday based on legal justifications he gave, the judicial officials said, speaking on condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to speak to the media. They did not elaborate and Bitar did not respond to calls from The Associated Press for comment.