Lebanese judge charges caretaker PM, ex-ministers over Beirut port blast

Judge Fadi Sawwan filed the charges Thursday against Diab and former finance minister Ali Hassan Khalil, as well as Ghazi Zeiter and Youssef Fenianos, both former ministers of public works.

All four were charged with negligence leading to deaths over the August 4 explosion at Beirut port, which killed more than 200 people and injured thousands. The explosion was caused by the ignition of a large stockpile of explosive material that had been stored at the port for years. 

The four are the most senior individuals to be indicted so far in the probe, which is being conducted in secrecy. Anger has been building up over the slow investigation, lack of answers and the fact that no senior officials have been indicted. 

 About 30 other security officials and port and customs officials have been detained in the probe. 

Resignations, sanctions, political chaos

Diab, a former university professor, resigned a few days after the blast, which leveled the port and destroyed large parts of the city. He is currently serving as caretaker prime minister until his successor forms a new government.

Zeitar was transport and public works minister in 2014, followed by Fenianos in 2016, who held the job until the beginning of 2020. Khalil was finance minister in 2014, 2016 and until 2020.

Both Khalil and Fenanios were sanctioned by the US in September this year, the first two officials to be subjected to those outside of Hezbollah group

The explosion came amid an unprecedented financial meltdown – worsened by pandemic-related closures – that has brought soaring inflation, poverty and unemployment. 

France and the rest of the international community has been urging Lebanon's leaders to form a new government to break a political deadlock that has blocked billions of dollars in assistance.

(FRANCE 24 with AFP, AP and REUTERS)