Hezbollah threatened top judge probing Beirut port blast, source says
CNNBeirut, Lebanon CNN — Hezbollah has threatened to “usurp” the Lebanese judge investigating the Beirut port blast in a verbal message to him in recent days, a source familiar with the conversation has told CNN. High-ranking Hezbollah official Wafiq Safa issued the threat to Judge Tarek Bitar through an unnamed intermediary, who relayed the contents of the message, according to the source. Bitar’s probe has been investigating several politicians for “criminal neglect.” Though the judge has not sought to question Hezbollah officials, according to the lists made public in state media, the group has emerged as one of the most vocal opponents of the investigation. In a recent televised speech, Hezbollah chief Hassan Nasrallah lambasted the probe, accusing Bitar of being “politicized.” Nasrallah offered no evidence to support the claim which was seen as a vociferous defense of the group’s political allies who have been targeted in the investigation.