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Lebanese Judge Rejects Release of Suspects Related to Beirut Port Explosion

A man stands next to graffiti at the damaged port area in the aftermath of the massive explosion in Beirut [Hannah McKay/Reuters]
A man stands next to graffiti at the damaged port area in the aftermath of the massive explosion in Beirut [Hannah McKay/Reuters]
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Lebanese Judge Rejects Release of Suspects Related to Beirut Port Explosion

A man stands next to graffiti at the damaged port area in the aftermath of the massive explosion in Beirut [Hannah McKay/Reuters]
A man stands next to graffiti at the damaged port area in the aftermath of the massive explosion in Beirut [Hannah McKay/Reuters]

Military Investigation Judge Fadi Sawwan rejected on Monday motions for the release of three detainees in the case of the August 4 Beirut port explosion that killed at least 190 people and wounding thousands more.

The judge ruled that the three suspects stay in custody.

Lebanon’s National News Agency (NNA) said Sawwan also heard the testimonies of four witnesses and will question more witnesses on Tuesday.

There are 25 suspects detained in the Beirut port probe, including four military officers in addition to former director of Lebanese customs Shafik Merhi, Lebanese customs administration director-general Badri Daher, director of the Beirut Port, Hassan Koreitem, and director of Land and Maritime Transport Abdel Hafiz Kaissi.

Last week, Sawwan listened to the lengthy testimony of caretaker PM Hassan Diab during a meeting at the Grand Serail.

Sources with knowledge of the matter told Asharq Al-Awsat that the briefing focused on the correspondence Diab received from security agencies on the stockpile of ammonium nitrate at the port. The PM informed the judge about the orders he gave the agencies and concerned ministries to tackle the stockpile and the reasons why they were not removed from warehouse 12 before they blew up on August 4.

The Lebanese government has attributed the enormous blast to the 2,700 tons of the chemical compound ammonium nitrate that had been left lying in a warehouse in Beirut port since 2013.

Lebanese authorities are now probing reasons why such highly explosive material was neglected and stored unsafely for years to detonate in a mushroom cloud, wrecking swathes of the city and fueling anger at a political class already blamed for the country’s economic meltdown.

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Lebanese Army Says It’s Moving Troops into the Country’s South as Part of Ceasefire Plan

A Lebanese army vehicle drives past destruction in Lebanon's southern village of Bint Jbeil on November 27, 2024, after a ceasefire between Israel and Hezbollah took effect. (AFP)
A Lebanese army vehicle drives past destruction in Lebanon's southern village of Bint Jbeil on November 27, 2024, after a ceasefire between Israel and Hezbollah took effect. (AFP)
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Lebanese Army Says It’s Moving Troops into the Country’s South as Part of Ceasefire Plan

A Lebanese army vehicle drives past destruction in Lebanon's southern village of Bint Jbeil on November 27, 2024, after a ceasefire between Israel and Hezbollah took effect. (AFP)
A Lebanese army vehicle drives past destruction in Lebanon's southern village of Bint Jbeil on November 27, 2024, after a ceasefire between Israel and Hezbollah took effect. (AFP)

The Lebanese army said on Wednesday it was moving additional troops into the country's south on Wednesday to extend state authority in coordination with the UN peacekeeping mission there.

“The concerned military units are moving from several areas to the South Litani Sector, where they will be stationed in the locations designated for them,” the Lebanese military said in its first statement since the Israel-Hezbollah ceasefire went into effect.

Under the ceasefire deal, Israeli troops would pull out of Lebanon and Hezbollah is required to move its forces north of the Litani River, which in some places is about 30 kilometers (20 miles) north of the border.

The ceasefire agreement gives Israel and Hezbollah fighters 60 days to withdraw from areas of southern Lebanon near the border. Thousands of Lebanese troops and UN peacekeepers will patrol the area, and an international committee will monitor compliance.

The Lebanese army has largely stood on the sidelines during the latest war between Israel and Hezbollah, although dozens of its soldiers have been killed amid the fighting.

Meanwhile, international aid groups welcomed the ceasefire and urge donors to provide funding to help rebuild parts of Lebanon and assist the displaced.

The aid groups are concerned about the aftershocks of the war on Lebanon’s already struggling economy. With more than 1.2 million people displaced, they warned that the damage would leave many struggling and without homes.

More than 100,000 homes have been either partially or fully destroyed across southern Lebanon, Bekaa and Beirut, the International Rescue Committee said.

Mercy Corps said that half of Lebanon’s population now lives below the poverty line. It called on donors to fulfill pledges to support immediate humanitarian efforts and the long-term recovery.

“There will undoubtedly be a great deal of grief and trauma. Many will have no homes to return to, no schools for their children, and livelihoods destroyed,” Norwegian Refugee Council Secretary-General Jan Egeland said.