The Indian company, Tesla Power India Pvt Ltd, argued its main business is to make 'lead acid batteries' and it has no intention of making electric vehicles
world1 day ago
Lebanon’s top prosecutor on Wednesday ordered all suspects detained in the investigation into the deadly 2020 port blast in Beirut released, a lawyer for two detainees and judicial officials said.
The move by chief prosecutor Ghassan Oweidat is another blow to the investigation, which has stalled for years. The probe has threatened to rattle Lebanon’s ruling elite, which is rife with corruption and mismanagement and has helped push the country into an unprecedented economic meltdown.
The decision came after Judge Tarek Bitar on Monday resumed the investigation into the devastating port blast, following a 13-month halt over legal challenges raised by politicians accused in the probe — including the chief prosecutor.
Seventeen detainees have been held for years in pre-trial detention after the massive port blast on August 4, 2020. Hundreds of tons of highly explosive ammonium nitrate, a material used in fertilizers, detonated at Beirut Port, killing 218 people, injuring over 6,000 and damaging large parts of the Lebanese capital.
Lawyer Sakher El Hachem, who represents two of the detainees, told The Associated Press that they received confirmation of the decision after inquiring to the judiciary, and that his clients would be released on Wednesday.
The judicial officials added that Ouweidat, who defied Bitar’s decision to resume the paralysed investigation, will press charges against him. They spoke on condition of anonymity because they were not authorised to speak to the press.
Ouweidat did not immediately respond to calls from the AP seeking comment.
Judge Bitar is the second investigator to lead the probe into the port blast, and has charged over a dozen senior political, security, port and security officials.
On Monday, Bitar ordered the release of five of 17 detainees in the case and charged eight officials, among them top intelligence officials Major-General Abbas Ibrahim and Major-General Tony Saliba, as well as Oweidat.
The judge also summoned at least 14 politicians and judicial, security and customs officials for questioning in February. Senior officials have repeatedly refused to show up for questioning since the start of the probe.
Bitar took his post following the removal in February 2021 of Judge Fadi Sawwan over complaints of bias by two Cabinet ministers. If he is also removed, it could be the final blow to the investigation.
Lebanon’s political leadership have accused Bitar without evidence of being biased in his investigation, with some demanding his removal.
The Indian company, Tesla Power India Pvt Ltd, argued its main business is to make 'lead acid batteries' and it has no intention of making electric vehicles
world1 day ago
Cyclone Hidaya is likely to 'bring strong winds and large ocean waves, with heavy rainfall' expected to hit the coast starting Sunday
world1 day ago
Arfan Bhatti, a 46-year-old Islamist who has lived and is well-known in Norway, is suspected of having planned the attack
world1 day ago
Around 800 significant attacks had been thwarted since the war erupted
world1 day ago
New measures to be in place until Israel allows uninterrupted flow of humanitarian aid to Gaza, said Turkey's trade ministry
world1 day ago
With hundreds of arrests made at other universities, students from Mexico's largest university camped out in solidarity
world1 day ago
The mission titled ICUBE-Q will be launched on board China's Chang'E6 from Hainan
world1 day ago
As the climate warms due to the burning of fossil fuels, heatwaves are lasting longer and reaching greater peaks as average temperatures rise
world3 days ago