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An official Lebanese source confirmed to Reuters that Acting Prime Minister Hassan Diab declined to be questioned by a judge who accused him and three former ministers of negligence in connection with the Beirut port explosion.
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The accusations brought by Judge Fadi Sawan last week against Hassan Diab drew strong criticism from influential parties, including the Shiite group Hezbollah and Sunni leader Saad Hariri.
The official source, which is from the Prime Minister’s Office, indicated that the forensic investigating judge in the Beirut port explosion case, Fadi Sawan, called Diab’s office last week to request an appointment with him on Monday. , but was informed of Diab’s refusal to undergo questioning.
Yesterday, the Maronite Patriarch, Bechara Boutros Al-Rai, expressed his hope that the reactions to the step taken by Sawan will not hamper the investigation, or lead to “a sectarian-based national division for which we cannot find a justification.”
Reuters reported that Saad Hariri had promised on Friday after his meeting with Hassan Diab that no one would be allowed to invade the post of prime minister, a post held by a Sunni under the sectarian power-sharing system.
It should be noted that the indictment included, in addition to Diab, former ministers, Ali Hassan Khalil, Ghazi Zuaiter and Youssef Fenianos, and two of them were members of the Amal Movement, an ally of the Lebanese Hezbollah, who commented on Friday’s charges, said they indicated ” political objectives “.
Hassan Diab said last Thursday that his conscience is clear after being charged with the crime of negligence in the Beirut port bombing case, and it is surprising that he has “pointed out the position of the prime minister.”
He said in a statement issued by his office: “The prime minister is clear of conscience and trusts his clean hand and his responsible and transparent handling of the Beirut port explosion file. He is surprised by this goal that goes beyond the person to the siege, and Hassan Diab will not allow the prime minister’s position to be attacked from anywhere. “
Last Thursday, Sawan charged Diab and several former ministers with the crime of negligence and negligence.
The explosion in the port of Beirut killed almost 200 people and injured and displaced thousands of residents of the Lebanese capital, Beirut, and the government said at the time that the explosion was due to a large amount of ammonium nitrate that was stored in a warehouse in the port in poor condition for years.
Source: “Reuters”
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