Fenianos Files 'Falsification' Complaint against Bitar

Former public works minister Youssef Fenianos has filed a “falsification” complaint against the lead investigative judge into the Beirut port blast Tarek Bitar, TV networks said on Monday.

Al-Jadeed TV said Fenianos filed the complaint with the Court of Cassation, accusing Bitar of “falsifying the date of his lawsuit against Judge Ghassan Khoury.”

Fenianos had on September 22 asked the same court to remove Bitar because of "legitimate suspicion" over his handling of the case. Bitar had a week earlier issued an arrest warrant for Fenianos after he failed to appear in court for questioning.

The judge has accused Fenianos and three other former ministers of intentional killing and negligence that led to the deaths of more than 200 people in the explosion. Over 6,000 were injured in the massive blast that also devastated a large section of Beirut.

Bitar has also subpoenaed ex-PM Hassan Diab after the latter failed to attend a hearing session.

Several incumbent and former security officials and judges have also been summoned for interrogation.