Army chief reportedly advises Bitar to 'stay home'

Army Commander General Joseph Aoun has advised Beirut port blast investigator Judge Tarek Bitar to “stay home and not go to the Justice Palace – neither in Beirut nor in Jdeideh -- out of concern that he might get arrested by the State Security agency under the excuse of bringing him to interrogation before the state prosecutor,” al-Akhbar newspaper reported on Tuesday.

“The French have also talked to Bitar on this issue and stressed to him that France is his second country, that his family can travel whenever it wants and that everything such as residence, education and other issues will be provided to them,” the daily added.

It also reported that Bitar “communicated yesterday with some colleagues and with senior officials to verify the matter and whether there are fears for his life or for the lives of his family members.”

Bitar took Lebanon by surprise on January 23 when he resumed his investigation after a 13-month hiatus, charging eight new suspects including high-level security officials and Lebanon's top prosecutor Ghassan Oueidat. The judge also scheduled interrogation sessions for ex-PM Hassan Diab and former ministers who had been previously charged.

Bitar said he based his decision on a legal review that he himself conducted. A top security official meanwhile said that the Lebanese judiciary had come under U.S. pressure to free detainees in the case, including dual Lebanese-U.S. citizen Ziad al-Ouf.

The week before reopening the case, Bitar had met with two French judges for hours about his investigation. The delegation suggested Bitar should resume work, arguing that holding suspects in detention without trial was a human rights violation.

Bitar's surprise move sparked a judicial battle with Oueidat, who retaliated by charging the judge with "usurping power" and insubordination and slapping him with a travel ban. A defiant Bitar meanwhile stressed that he would not step down, adding that Oueidat "has no authority" to intervene in the case.