Prosecutor Requests Charges Against Ex-President Michel Aoun Over 2020 Port Blast

A prosecutor at Lebanon's Court of Cassation asked Judge Tarek Bitar, who oversees the Beirut port blast investigation, to press charges against former president Michel Aoun over the Aug 4, 2020 explosion that killed more than 220 people and injured over 6,500. The prosecutor said Aoun 'had prior knowledge of the presence of ammonium nitrate at the port and its danger, without taking the necessary measures' or referring the matter to the Higher Defense Council. Aoun filed a complaint the following day disputing reports implicating him in the case. The request follows Bitar's conclusion of the long-obstructed probe and referral to the public prosecutor; a full indictment had separately been expected in October per prosecutor Jamal al-Hajjar.