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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 bombing, according to a source in the prime minister’s office. The source said that the investigating judge called Diab to request an appointment with him on Monday, but was informed of Diab’s refusal to submit to questioning.
An official Lebanese source said Monday that Acting Prime Minister Hassan Diab declined to be questioned by a judge who accused him and three former ministers of negligence regarding The Beirut port explosion.
According to the source, who is from the prime minister’s office, Judge 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. Sawan could not be reached for comment.
Previously, the interim Interior Minister, Mohamed Fahmy, indicated that he would not implement any arrest warrant against him. Diab Or other officials if they refused to be questioned.
The accusations made by Judge Sawan last week had drawn strong criticism from influential parties, including the Shiite group Hezbollah and Sunni leader Saad Hariri.
Some politicians believed that Sawan was selective in determining who would prosecute them and that he was exceeding his powers in bringing charges against ministers. But others, such as the Beirut Bar Association, found his decision courageous.
Diab, who took office in January, said he was clear of conscience regarding the explosion, which occurred on August 4, which killed 200 people, injured thousands and destroyed entire neighborhoods in the capital, Beirut. It is reported that he resigned after the disaster, but continued to serve as acting prime minister.
The explosion, which was one of the most powerful non-nuclear explosions in history, was caused by a large amount of ammonium nitrate that had been in unsafe storage for years.
France 24 / Reuters
