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Bitar says did what his conscience dictated, denies French pressure

Beirut port blast investigator Judge Tarek Bitar, who resumed his probe Monday in a surprise move after a 13-month suspension, has said that he did what his “conscience dictated” on him after “having reached a dead end.”

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Pro-Hezbollah daily says Bitar has gone mad, US supports probe resumption

A U.S. State Department spokesperson said in a tweet Tuesday that "we support and urge Lebanese authorities to complete a swift and transparent investigation into the horrific explosion at the Port of Beirut".

The lead investigator into the blast, Judge Tarek Bitar, had decided Monday, to widespread surprise, to resume his probe into the disaster, despite the strong political pressure against him.

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Zoaiter calls Bitar 'mentally ill' after being summoned for interrogation

MP Ghazi Zoaiter angrily stormed out Tuesday of a session for the Administration and Justice Parliamentary Committee during the discussion of a law on the independence of the judiciary.

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Oueidat among 8 charged over Beirut blast as complications arise

Judge Tarek Bitar has charged Prosecutor-General Ghassan Oueidat and judges Ghassan Khoury, Carla Shawwah and Jad Maalouf, a first in the country's history, a judicial official told AFP on Tuesday. 

The prosecution service, however, quickly pushed back, rejecting the resumption of the probe.

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Khalil: Hezbollah, FPM won't collide, Understanding still existent

Hezbollah Coordination and Liaison Officer Wafiq Safa has said after meeting Free Patriotic Movement chief Jebran Bassil that "those dismayed by the (Hezbollah-FPM) understanding will not be happy tonight."

A Hezbollah delegation comprising Safa and Hezbollah secretary-general’s aide Hussein Khalil had met Monday with Bassil in Sin el-Fil's Mirna Chalouhi area.

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Badri Daher's lawyer says Bitar must release all 17 detained

The judge investigating Beirut’s massive 2020 port blast, Tarek Bitar, decided to release five people who had been detained for more than two years. They include former customs chief Shafeek Merhi; Sami Hussein, the head of port’s operations at the time of the blast, and a Syrian worker. Twelve people will remain in custody, including the head of the port authority and the head of the Lebanese customs at the time of the blast.

The move by Bitar to order the release of some of the 17 people who have been held since shortly after the blast came days after protests by family members in Beirut demanding all 17 be set free.

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Nasrallah aide says Bitar's probe 'black stain' on Lebanese justice

Hussein Khalil, the political advisor of Hezbollah chief Sayyed Hassan Nasrallah, has told reporters that Judge Tarek Bitar's investigation was a "black stain" on Lebanese justice.

Lead investigator into the Beirut port blast Judge Tarek Bitar had resumed work Monday, over a year after political pressure brought the investigation to a halt.

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Beirut port blast: the long quest for justice  

The Lebanese judge probing the devastating 2020 blast in Beirut port has resumed work, over a year after political pressure brought the investigation to a halt.

Here are some key facts about the blast and its aftermath.

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Mikati says not seeking to usurp president's powers

Caretaker Prime Minister Najib Mikati on Monday noted that the caretaker cabinet “will certainly convene to tackle urgent issues.”

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Prosecution to ignore Bitar's decision as Khoury refers it to higher council

The public prosecution will deal with Judge Tarek Bitar’s decision to resume investigations into the Beirut port blast as being “inexistent,” and accordingly it will not implement release or prosecution orders, MTV reported.

Caretaker Justice Minister Henri Khoury meanwhile issued a statement noting that he learned of the decision from the media.

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