Hezbollah leader wants investigator in Beirut blast replaced

By SARAH EL DEEB
Associated Press

BEIRUT (AP) — The leader of Lebanon’s powerful Hezbollah group has escalated his attack on the judge leading the probe into last year’s port explosion, calling on authorities to replace him with a “truthful and transparent” investigator. Judge Tarek Bitar was appointed in February by a government body to lead the investigation. Bitar has been the recipient of heavy criticism from Hassan Nasrallah, Hezbollah’s leader, who has repeatedly accused him of politicizing the probe. On Monday, Nasrallah spent nearly a quarter of his one-hour speech meant to address the country’s multiple crises to criticize almost every decision Bitar has made.