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Syria-Lebanon-Iran
Hizbullah Dubs Indictment in Port Blast as ‘Politicized’
2020-12-12
[AnNahar] Hizbullah
...Party of God, a Leb militia inspired, founded, funded and directed by Iran. Hizbullah refers to itself as The Resistance and purports to defend Leb against Israel, with whom it has started and lost one disastrous war to date, though it did claim victory...
on Friday blasted as "politicized" the lead investigator’s decision to indict caretaker PM Hassan Diab and three allied ex-ministers over Beirut’s colossal port explosion on August 4.

The group called on the investigating judge Fadi Sawwan to reconsider his decision, saying it lacked a legal and constitutional basis and that the four were being selectively charged.

In a statement, the party said it is "keen to ensure that all measures taken by the investigating judge are far from politics, conform to the provisions of the Constitution, and are made on logical and legal grounds, which we did not find in the recent procedures."

Hizbullah added that "we categorically reject the absence of unified standards which we believe has politically targeted some individuals while unfairly ignoring others."

Hizbullah urged the "competent investigating judge to re-approach this important file again and to take legal measures to ensure that the desired truth is reached by unified standards totally far from politicization."

Sawan on Thursday, charged with negligence outgoing premier Hassan Diab and former ministers of finance, Ali Hasan Khalil, public works, Yusef Fenianos, and transport, Ghazi Zaiter.

Diab, who is backed by Hizbullah, resigned in the wake of the Aug. 4 explosion and remains in his post in a caretaker capacity, as Lebanese officials have failed to agree on a new Cabinet.

The four were the most bigwigs to be charged in the investigation and are set to be questioned next week by investigating judge Fadi Sawwan. He was named by the government to the post a few days after the earth-shattering kaboom, and has been conducting his probe mostly in secrecy.

The explosion in the port was caused by the ignition of a large stockpile of kaboom that had been stored at the port for six years, with the knowledge of top security officials and politicians who did nothing about it. It killed more than 200 people and maimed thousands, devastating large parts of the capital Beirut.

The decision to charge bigwigs — including one in office — was significant in Leb
...an Iranian colony situated on the eastern Mediterranean, conveniently adjacent to Israel. Formerly inhabited by hardy Phoenecian traders, its official language is now Arabic, with the usual unpleasant side effects. The Leb civil war, between 1975 and 1990, lasted a little over 145 years and produced 120,000 fatalities. The average length of a ceasefire was measured in seconds. The Lebs maintain a precarious sectarian balance among Shiites, Sunnis, and about a dozeen flavors of Christians. It is the home of Hezbollah, which periodically starts a war with the Zionist Entity, gets Beirut pounded to rubble, and then declares victory and has a parade. The Lebs have the curious habit of periodically murdering their heads of state or prime ministers...
, where a culture of impunity has prevailed for decades, including among the entrenched political elites.
Related:
Hassan Diab: 2020-09-28 Two members of Lebanese security forces killed in armed clashes
Hassan Diab: 2020-08-12 The revolution may be leaderless for now but won't be so forever.
Hassan Diab: 2020-08-12 Lebanese newspaper reveals likely replacement for prime minister position
Related:
Port explosion: 2020-09-20 Lebanon’s army says it has carried out a survey of more than 85,000 dwellings, businesses and other building units damaged by the massive Beirut port explosion
Port explosion: 2020-08-05 Day 2, Beirut Port explosion roundup: Lebanese health ministry revises death toll in Beirut blast to 73, says at least 3,700 others injured
Port explosion: 2005-10-24 Police arrest 'man who was asked to join 7 July bombers'
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