Lebanon... Arrest warrant for former minister in connection with Beirut port explosion

INA-  sources

The judicial investigator in the Beirut port bombing case, Judge Tarek Bitar, issued an arrest warrant for former Finance Minister Ali Hassan Khalil for failing to appear before him for investigation.
 
"After the end of the hearing, Judge Bitar was informed of the new response case filed against him by Khalil's agents and MP Ghazi Zaiter, which necessitated the suspension of the investigation and all hearings, until the Civil Court of Cassation, headed by Judge Naji Eid, decides to accept or reject the case," the Lebanese national news agency reported.
 
Judge Tarek Bitar had again summoned former Prime Minister Hassan Diab, deputies and former ministers Ali Hassan Khalil, Ghazi Zaiter and Nihad al-Mashnouk for investigation.
 
Judge Bitar set on Tuesday a date for Khalil's interrogation, Wednesday, The 13th, the date for the interrogation of Zaiter and Al-Mashnouk, and the 28th of this month for the interrogation of Diab.
 
Investigations into the Beirut port bombing were suspended, pending the decision of the Court of Appeal and the Supreme Judicial Council to examine the case and to dismiss the investigation file for another judge, amid demands from the families of the victims for continuing work of investigators.