BEIRUT (AP) – The Lebanese judge investigating the massive 2020 Beirut port explosion questioned two former security chiefs, including a former head of the General Security Directorate who appeared in court for the first time since being summoned nearly four years ago, according to four judicial and two security officials.
The officials spoke on condition of anonymity because they were not authorised to brief the media. The hearings mark a rare breakthrough in the long-stalled probe.
Major General Abbas Ibrahim and former head of State Security Major General Tony Saliba, are among several officials charged in connection with the blast that killed over 220 people. The specific charges have not been disclosed.
Ibrahim appeared in court for the first time, where Judge Tarek Bitar questioned him about the operations of the General Security Directorate during his tenure and requested related documents, which Ibrahim’s lawyer is expected to submit next week.
Ibrahim, who headed the General Security Directorate between 2011 and 2023, is known for wide connections with local, regional and international figures, including the Hezbollah group, the Syrian government and Western nations, making him a key political mediator.
Ibrahim’s attorneys said in a statement that the former General Security chief appeared in court despite having previously filed a legal challenge against Judge Bitar and despite claiming that he was immune from prosecution.
His attorneys said he appeared as a “mark of respect for the families of the martyrs and victims, his belief in justice and truth, and his commitment to upholding legal procedures and the course of justice”.
Saliba, appearing in court for the fourth time, cooperated with the hearing, providing documentation pertaining to his role at State Security. After the hearing, Saliba described the proceedings as “positive” in a statement.
