The Metropolitan Archbishop of Beirut Elias Audi questioned whether the “apocalyptic attack” of August 4, 2020 “aimed to kill Beirut and its inhabitants, or to assassinate justice to sow chaos and control the country?”
During his Sunday sermon, he added: “Is it acceptable that the families of the victims, the people of Beirut, and all the Lebanese people have been waiting for three years for the truth, without any result? Three years of pain and patience, without the demanded truth being revealed, despite the horror of the explosion and the magnitude of its consequences?”
He continued, “Is it indifference or contempt towards the lives of people who loved Lebanon and did not abandon it in pursuit of a decent life, or is it inability or an intentional concealment of a truth they fear?”
Audi stated, “Otherwise, why hinder the work of the investigating judge? And until when will criminals, all criminals, escape punishment?”
“Justice is necessary for life to continue in safety and for a sense of equality to prevail among citizens. Revealing the truth in the tragedy of Beirut is a duty for the judiciary, and punishing the perpetrators of the crime is necessary to serve as a lesson for those who plan to commit a similar crime,” Audi concluded.
