Aude Blasts Those Trying to Protect 'Criminals' in Port Blast Case

Greek Orthodox Metropolitan of Beirut Elias Aude on Sunday slammed the parties who are attempting to “conceal the truth and the criminals” in the Beirut port blast case, at a mass marking the 16th anniversary of the assassination of Gebran Tueni.

“It is no longer acceptable for the government to remain paralyzed in its decisions and actions nor to remain subject to a political minority that acts as the ruling majority,” Aude quoted Tueni as saying prior to his assassination.

“As if Gebran was speaking about what’s happening today,” he added.

“Tueni said in 2005 that the unveiling of the truth would mean that criminals, whoever they may be and wherever they may be, would no longer enjoy protection, but we were surprised by many crimes, topped by the capital’s explosion, and we were not surprised by the attempt to conceal the truth and the criminals,” the Metropolitan went on to say.

Lamenting that “we’ve become used to hearing about such issues because this approach has deepened in Lebanon,” Aude decried that “the absence of holding any culprit accountable has led us to this lawlessness and to insulting the judiciary and judges and evading justice.”