BREAKING NEWS

Lebanon's top public prosecutor says he has summoned Beirut blast judge

Lebanon's top public prosecutor Ghassan Oweidat told Reuters that he had summoned the judge investigating the Beirut port blast, after rejecting the judge's surprise resumption of the probe into the explosion.

In a text message exchange, Oweidat said he had summoned Judge Tarek Bitar for questioning but did not specify whether he had charged him. Two judicial sources had earlier said Oweidat had filed charges against Bitar.

Hezbollah MP endorses top prosecutor's decisions in port blast probe

A Hezbollah lawmaker on Wednesday expressed support for decisions taken by the top public prosecutor Ghassan Oueidat, who on Wednesday charged Beirut blast investigator Tarek Bitar and ordered all detained over the explosion released.

In a tweet, Ibrahim Al Moussawi said Oueidat's decisions were "a step in the right direction to restore confidence in judges and the judiciary."

Hezbollah, a heavily-armed group backed by Iran, has fiercely opposed Bitar's investigation, saying the judge was biased, after he sought to question allies of the group.