The Beirut-based NGO Legal Agenda has revealed that more than 50 MPs have signed a request to open a parallel investigation into the Beirut Blast to that of investigator Judge Tarek Bitar.
This unusual request, which is another breach of the separation of powers witnessed recently in Lebanon, not only interferes with the judiciary but can also sabotage the investigation, which has been already facing strong resistance and lack of cooperation from the officials.
Like former blast investigator Judge Fadi Sawan, Judge Bitar is seeking to prosecute MPs Ali Hassan Khalil, Nouhad Machnouk, and Ghazi Zeaiter, as well as caretaker Prime Minister Hassan Diab and former minister Youssef Fenianos, among others.
However, opening a parallel investigation alongside Judge Bitar’s investigation would move suspects out of his rightful authority and into a “fictitious” court, according to Legal Agenda.
The move is deemed as a way for MPs to help their peers escape justice after Judge Bitar indicted them for their possible involvement in the harrowing August 4 Explosion.
Calling it The List of Shame, Legal Agenda published the alleged confirmed names of MPs involved in the maneuver of freeing the politicians from the grasp of justice, noting that it has extended to over 50 MPs.
Legal Agenda listed the following names:
Development and Liberation Bloc
- Kassem Hashem
- Ali Khreis
- Michel Moussa
- Mohammad Nasrallah
- Ali Bazzi
- Yassine Jaber
- Ali Osseiran
- Fadi Alameh
- Inaya Ezzedine
- Mohammad Khawaja
- Ayoub Hmeid
Future Bloc
- Baker Hujeiri
- Walid Baarini
- Othman Alameddine
- Dima Jamali
- Bahida Hariri
- Tarek El Merhebi
- Mohammad Al Hajjar
- Mohammad Sleiman
- Sami Fatfat
Loyalty to the Resistance Bloc
- Ibrahim Moussawi
- Hussein Jichi
- Hassan Ezzedine
- Ihab Hamadeh
Syrian Social Nationalist Party
- Albert Mansour
- Salim Saadeh, who later retracted his signature, stating that he supports the lifting of all immunities and refuses to interfere in the judiciary.
Center Bloc (Azm)
- Nicolas Nahas
Project Association
- Adnan Traboulsi
Editor’s note: 21/07/2021: Hours after the news become public, some MPs withdrew their names from the motion, according to a judicial source, namely: Samy Fatfat, Nicholas Nahhas, Dima Jamali, and Adnan Traboulsi.
