Judge Tarek Bitar, who is leading the investigation into the Beirut port explosion case, interrogated port security chief Ahmed Qassabiya for three hours on Friday before deciding to keep him under investigation.

Bitar also questioned Marwan Kaaki, the port’s director of employee affairs, who withdrew the procedural objections he had raised two weeks ago. At the end of the session, Bitar decided to release Kaaki on bail.

Next Friday, Bitar is scheduled to question two Lebanese Army officers as part of the ongoing probe into the August 2020 explosion, which killed more than 200 people and caused extensive damage to the capital.