Judge Bitar, who’s in charge of the Beirut blast, had summoned former Prime Minister Hassan Diab back in August 26, but Diab failed to appear. He then rescheduled the questioning for September 20, but Diab decided to travel to the US instead to visit his kids for few weeks.

Diab claims he made it clear that he intends to travel after the government was formed, but that’s no excuse not to schedule his flight date few days before the questioning. If anything, the authorities shouldn’t have allowed him to leave the country until the judge clears him, especially that he has been charged, along three other former ministers, with negligence in connection to the explosion at Beirut port.