Judge seeks arrest of ex-minister charged in Beirut blast

Lebanon's state-run National News agency says the lead judge investigating Lebanon’s massive port explosion last year has issued an arrest warrant for a former government minister who failed to show up for questioning

BEIRUT -- The lead judge investigating Lebanon’s massive port explosion last year issued an arrest warrant Thursday for a former government minister who failed to appear for questioning, the state-run National News agency reported.

Youssef Fenianos, the former public works minister, is one of a number of former government officials who have declined to appear before investigating judge Tarek Bitar.

Bitar has charged Fenianos and three other former senior government officials with intentional killing and negligence that led to the deaths of more than 200 people in the blast and over 6,000 wounded.

Bitar also summoned the former and current security chiefs. The former prime minister has also refused to appear before the judge.