Hezbollah Terrorists Launch Legal Action over Deadly Beirut Blast Claims

Iranian protestors, holding up a huge banner with the picture of Lebanon's Hezbollah leade
BEHROUZ MEHRI/AFP/Getty, file
Simon Kent

The Iran-backed Hezbollah terrorist group in Lebanon has begun legal action against those who claim the Shiite movement was responsible for the Beirut port blast, claiming such allegations are an “insult” and “a terrible injustice.”

The explosion of hundreds of tonnes of ammonium nitrate fertiliser at the Beirut port on August 4 was Lebanon’s worst peace-time disaster.

It killed more than 200 people, wounded at least 6,500 others and ravaged large swathes of the capital. At one stage upwards of 300,000 people were left homeless in the weeks after the event.

Lebanon has since launched a probe into the disaster, but no conclusions on responsiblity have yet been reached.

Accusations have swirled, however, in some media and on social networks alleging Hezbollah had considerable control over port activities, or was making use of the highly-explosive fertiliser.

Even former Hezbollah leader Subhi al-Tufayli held current leader Hassan Nasrallah responsible for the explosion and called on Lebanese authorities to put him on trial, along with his patron Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, the Supreme Leader of Iran, as Breitbart News reported.

“The accusations directed at Hezbollah over the port blast are false and constitute a real injustice,” Hezbollah lawmaker Ibrahim al-Moussawi said, according to AFP.

The movement has filed lawsuits against former independent parliamentarian Fares Souaid and the website of the Christian Lebanese Forces party over such allegations, he said.

Speaking to reporters outside the judicial court in Beirut, the Hezbollah MP said the movement would file more lawsuits in the future to clear its name.

“We have assigned a group of lawyers to file lawsuits with the judiciary to pursue all those who have practised deception, falsification, slander and false accusations,” he said.

According to Western intelligence agencies, Iran funds Hezbollah to the tune of $200m to $300m per year in cash outlays alone, and provides an arsenal of weapons and logistical services valued at more than $700m.

AFP contributed to this story

Follow Simon Kent on Twitter: or e-mail to: skent@breitbart.com

COMMENTS

Please let us know if you're having issues with commenting.