Bitar Wants Satellite Images of Beirut Port Site

The lead investigator into Beirut’s port blast, Judge Tarek Bitar, requested the satellite images of the port as part of his investigations into last year’s massive explosion.

Bitar issued 13 judicial orders to countries having satellites stationed over Lebanon, requesting images of the blast scene in order to carry on with the probe into the colossal August 4 explosion.

Moreover, he is scheduled to hear the testimony of new witnesses into the case who have not given their testimony before.

Youssef Diab, a Lebanese journalist who closely follows the investigation, said the request by Bitar is a formal legal memorandum for which a response is obligatory, and it indicates that he has not ruled out the possibility of an attack.

Nearly 3,000 tons of ammonium nitrates, a highly explosive material used in fertilizers that had been improperly stored in the port for years, exploded on Aug. 4, killing 211 people, wounding more than 6,000 and damaging nearby neighborhoods.

Judge Tarek Bitar was named to lead the investigation in February after his predecessor was removed following legal challenges by two former Cabinet ministers he had accused of negligence.