Lebanon's Beirut blast probe judge suspends questioning of former PM Diab-legal source

Diab, who has been charged over the Aug. 4, 2020 blast that killed over 215 people, had already missed at least two interrogation sessions. Bitar was officially notified of the legal suit arguing that he did not have the authority to interrogate the former prime minister which automatically forces him to suspend the session, the legal source said. "The suspension of questioning relates only to Diab in this case," the source told Reuters.

Lebanon's Beirut blast probe judge Tarek Bitar suspended on Thursday the interrogation of for former Prime Minister Hassan Diab after Diab filed a suit, a legal source said.

The suit was filed by Diab over his prosecution by Bitar on Wednesday. Diab, who has been charged over the Aug. 4, 2020 blast that killed over 215 people, had already missed at least two interrogation sessions. Bitar was officially notified of the legal suit arguing that he did not have the authority to interrogate the former prime minister which automatically forces him to suspend the session, the legal source said.

"The suspension of questioning relates only to Diab in this case," the source told Reuters. Judge Bitar has sought to question top politicians, including former ministers and members of parliament, since July but nearly all have spurned him with some raising legal complaints against him questioning his impartiality.

Bitar has in the past issued arrest warrants for ministers who failed to show up for interrogation, and Diab's lawsuit was likely an 11th-hour attempt to prevent a similar scenario after his interrogation scheduled for Thursday.

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