But the blast tore the front door off its hinges and sent a cupboard slamming into the elder Ladkani. When they first heard explosions coming from the port, his father took the family into their apartment’s entrance hall, believing it would be safe since there were no windows.

They feel let down and abandoned, not only by the government but by public apathy as the months and years have dragged on. The lack of justice compounds the pain of relatives and friends of blast victims. The first judge was forced out after complaints were raised against him by two Cabinet ministers, and if the same happens to Bitar it would likely be the final blow to the investigation. They spoke on condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to speak publicly about the investigation.īitar is the second judge to take the case. Judicial officials with knowledge of Bitar’s investigation told The Associated Press it was in advanced stages of answering key questions - including who owned the nitrates, how they entered the port and how the explosion happened. The appointments, signed by the justice minister, are still awaiting approval from the finance minister, an ally of Parliament Speaker Nabih Berri. The court can’t rule until a number of vacancies caused by judges retiring are filled. He also charged several top security officials in the case.īut his work has been blocked for eight months pending a Court of Cassation ruling after three former Cabinet ministers filed legal challenges. Tarek Bitar, the judge leading the investigation, charged four former senior government officials with intentional killing and negligence that led to the deaths of dozens of people.

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