Uncertainty Over Extending Judicial Prosecution in Dahr al-Baydar Explosives Shipment Case to Hezbollah Leadership
According to Alhurra, judicial allegations against 13 Hezbollah members in the seized explosives shipment case in Dahr al-Baydar, eastern Lebanon, have pushed the file into a new phase, as the circle of pursuits expands and government disputes continue over referring it to the Judicial Council. Hezbollah, designated as a terrorist organization by the United States, has maintained its refusal to try the defendants, demanding their honor instead, as expressed by party MP Hussein Hajj Hassan. The government commissioner to the military court, Judge Claude Ghanem, prosecuted eight named individuals, including detainees Ali al-Kurdi and Haitham Amhaz, and five others known by nicknames, on charges including attacking internal state security, violating government decisions, possessing weapons and explosives, and forming illegal associations aimed at undermining state authority and prestige, according to the National News Agency. Ghanem referred the file to the First Military Investigating Judge Ghada Abu Alwan to complete investigations. Despite the expansion of defendants, the most prominent question remains: will investigations reach the person who ordered the shipment inside Hezbollah? Judicial affairs journalist Youssef Diab confirms that data from preliminary investigations remains confined to known transport roles, notably 'Sajed' delivering explosives in Baalbek and 'Zulfikar' slated to receive them in Beirut's southern suburb. Diab excludes in an interview with Alhurra that prosecutions will reach higher officials unless unexpected confessions or evidence emerge. Last month, security forces seized a truck at the Dahr al-Baydar checkpoint heading from the Bekaa toward greater Beirut carrying hundreds of kilograms of explosives, including C4 and TNT. Hezbollah MP Hassan Fadlallah admitted the shipment belonged to the party, asserting it was meant against Israeli forces in the south. Lebanese Forces ministers boycotted the cabinet session protesting the lack of a referral decision to the Judicial Council. MP Ghyath Yazbek told Alhurra the demand stems from national considerations, stating no other judicial body can replace the Judicial Council. Justice Minister Adel Nassar revealed that President Joseph Aoun and Prime Minister Najib Mikati supported his proposal to refer the file, though they disagreed on timing.