Naharnet

Oueidat inclined to withdraw judicial assistants from Bitar

State Prosecutor Judge Ghassan Oueidat is inclined to withdraw the judicial assistants who are at the disposal of Beirut port blast investigator Judge Tarek Bitar and who assist him in writing investigation records, a media report said on Friday.

Oueidat is also “threatening to press for enforcing an arrest warrant against him should he insist on continuing his measures,” ad-Diyar newspaper said.

“To avoid a major confrontation, the coming hours will witness intensive contacts and meetings that will be led by (Higher Judicial Council chief Judge Suheil) Abboud, who so far is still refusing a meeting for the Higher Judicial Council out of fear that Bitar might be removed” from the case, the daily added.

The solution that Abboud is working on to pacify the situation entails “Bitar suspending his measures, canceling the interrogation sessions scheduled for this month and backing down from his charges, in return for Oueidat withdrawing his lawsuit and travel ban against Bitar and looking into ways to stop the consequences of the release of the detainees,” the newspaper said.

It, however, noted that “this solution is still elusive” and that “things seem to be complicated and headed for an escalation.”


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