The Lebanese caretaker prime minister, Hassan Diab, has been surprised by charges filed against him on Thursday in connection with the probe into the case of the Beirut port explosion on August 4, the Lebanese government said in a statement on Thursday
BEIRUT (Pakistan Point News / Sputnik - 10th December, 2020) The Lebanese caretaker prime minister, Hassan Diab, has been surprised by charges filed against him on Thursday in connection with the probe into the case of the Beirut port explosion on August 4, the Lebanese government said in a statement on Thursday.
Earlier in the day, the investigation judge, Fadi Sawan, filed a suit against Diab and three former ministers Ali Hassan Khalil, Ghazi Zuaiter and Youssef Fenianos accusing them of negligence resulting in hundreds of deaths and injuries. All four were later summoned by prosecutors for questioning, a source told Sputnik.
"The Prime Minister's conscience is clear. He is confident that his hands are clean and that he has handled the Beirut Port blast file in a responsible and transparent manner. This surprising targeting goes beyond the person to the position per se, and Hassan Diab will not allow the Premiership to be targeted by any party," the statement said, as quoted by the NNA news agency.
On August 4, the Beirut port was devastated by a powerful blast believed to have been caused by the improper storage of ammonium nitrate. The explosions shattered the port and the city, killing at least 204 people, injuring many others, and causing widespread devastation to houses and vehicles.
