BEIRUT: A judge at Lebanon’s highest court suspended an arrest warrant against a former cabinet minister in the case of the massive 2020 Beirut port blast, officials said Tuesday.
Judge Sabbouh Suleiman of the Court of Cassation lifted the warrant against former public works minister, Youssef Fenianos, judicial officials said, speaking on condition of anonymity in line with regulations.
In 2021, Judge Tarek Bitar, who has led the investigation into the explosion, issued a warrant against Fenianos, who in turn asked for Bitar’s removal over “legitimate suspicion” of how he handled his case. The judge accused Fenianos and three other former senior government officials of intentional killing and negligence that led to the deaths of more than 200 people in the explosion.
Some politicians and security officials have also been asking for Bitar’s removal as anger and criticism by families of the victims and rights groups have grown as the investigation has been stalled for over a year.
Despite arrest warrants issued for cabinet ministers and heads of security agencies, no one has so far been detained amid political interference in the work of the judiciary.
The United States Treasury in September 2020 slapped sanctions on Fenianos and former Finance Minister Ali Hassan Khalil, accusing them of corruption and providing “material support” to the militant Hezbollah group. Bitar had also charged and pursued Khalil in the port blast probe with homicide and criminal negligence.
The Aug. 2020 blast — one of the world’s largest non-nuclear blasts ever recorded — killed at least 218 people and more than 6,000 wounded, according to an Associated Press tally. It also devastated large swaths of Beirut and caused billions of dollars in damages.
More than three years later, there are still no answers to what triggered the explosion, and no one has been held accountable. Rights groups and local media revealed that most state officials knew of the presence of hundreds of tons of ammonium nitrate, a highly explosive material used in fertilizers that had been improperly stored there for years, in the port.
Lebanon’s top court suspends arrest warrant for former cabinet minister in Beirut port blast case
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Lebanon’s top court suspends arrest warrant for former cabinet minister in Beirut port blast case
- Judge Sabbouh Suleiman of the Court of Cassation lifted the warrant against former public works minister, Youssef Fenianos
- Despite arrest warrants issued for cabinet ministers and heads of security agencies, no one has so far been detained amid political interference
Military coalition in Yemen condemns attack on commander’s convoy
- Al-Maliki also said the coalition is committed to supporting Yemeni security efforts and pursuing those involved in the attack and bringing them to justice
RIYADH: The Coalition to Support Legitimacy in Yemen condemned on Wednesday an attack that targeted the convoy of a senior commander.
The attack in the Jaoula area of Lahj governorate targeted vehicles under the command of Brigadier General Hamdi Shukri, who heads the second division of the Giants Forces.
Coalition spokesman Major General Turki Al-Maliki said there were numerous deaths injuries and called the ambush “a criminal act that is contrary to all human and moral values.”
He said the coalition, which includes Saudi Arabia, will continue coordinating with the relevant authorities to ensure the security of citizens and maintain stability, Saudi Press Agency reported.
He called for people to work with the Yemeni government and military authorities to confront any sabotage attempts or terrorist operations targeting the security and stability of liberated governorates.
Al-Maliki also said the coalition is committed to supporting Yemeni security efforts and pursuing those involved in the attack and bringing them to justice.
