Judge Tarek Bitar, the lead investigative judge in the Beirut Port explosion case, is taking new steps to advance the long-stalled investigation. According to Al-Jadeed, Bitar is set to begin scheduling interrogation sessions for several politicians and security officials implicated in the case.

While these sessions had initially been planned for September 18, they were postponed due to the Israel-Hezbollah war. 

Judge Bitar’s investigation has faced significant obstacles, including a two-year ban imposed by the Court of Cassation's prosecutor, preventing the judicial police from assisting in the case. The ban, initiated in January 2023 by then-prosecutor general Ghassan Oueidate, barred the police from executing arrest warrants, delivering notifications, or transmitting case documents.

Oueidate’s actions came after Bitar charged him as part of the investigation, prompting retaliation that included the release of 17 detainees and legal proceedings against Bitar for “usurping authority.”

Following Oueidate’s retirement in February 2024, his successor, Jamal Hajjar, conditioned any cooperation on splitting the investigation. Hajjar proposed limiting Bitar’s authority to cases involving public officials and excluding political figures, magistrates, and officers. Bitar rejected these conditions, maintaining that the case's unity is essential to uncovering the truth.

Judge Bitar cannot finalize his indictment without first submitting it to the prosecutor’s office for review. Whether the current prosecutor, Hajjar, will continue to boycott Bitar’s documents remains uncertain. Accepting the indictment would implicitly validate Bitar’s authority and refute Oueidate’s earlier accusations of overreach.

Unable to rely on judicial police, Bitar has now turned to civil bailiffs to issue summonses, starting midweek. A source informed on the matter told L’Orient-Le Jour that this approach, though unconventional in criminal cases, is legally valid.

“The investigative judge is determined to continue his work without concessions,” a lawyer close to the case explained.

Should those summoned refuse to appear, public notifications will be posted at their last known addresses and the Justice Palace, fulfilling Bitar’s legal obligations.

Despite these measures, questions linger about the detainees released by Oueidate in 2023. A magistrate familiar with the case clarified that these individuals remain under judicial authority and should be re-incarcerated. Responsibility for their detention lies with the prosecutor.