BEIRUT: Lebanese President Joseph Aoun promised justice on Monday, marking five years since the catastrophic Beirut port blast that killed over 220 people and injured more than 6,500.
The explosion, one of the largest non-nuclear detonations in history, was caused by improperly stored ammonium nitrate, despite repeated warnings to officials.
“The law applies to all, without exception,“ Aoun said in a statement, vowing to uncover the truth “no matter the obstacles or how high the positions” involved. He assured victims’ families that “justice is coming, accountability is coming.”
Monday was declared a day of national mourning, with rallies planned near the port to demand justice. Investigative judge Tarek Bitar has completed questioning defendants after a two-year impasse caused by political interference.
A judicial official, speaking anonymously, said Bitar is finalising procedures before issuing indictments.
Prime Minister Nawaf Salam, a former ICJ judge, stressed the need for accountability, condemning decades of impunity.
Bitar’s probe had stalled after Hezbollah accused him of bias, but resumed after Aoun and Salam took office pledging judicial independence.
Mariana Fodoulian of the victims’ families association said officials “have been trying to evade accountability” for years.
“We won’t stop until we get comprehensive justice,“ she told AFP. Meanwhile, the gutted wheat silos will be preserved as a historic memorial. – AFP