The Aug. 4 port blast, which killed 178 people, has overshadowed the long-awaited verdict. Four members of the Iran-backed Shia group Hezbollah have been on trial in absentia over the killing of Saudi-backed Hariri, Lebanon's main Sunni Muslim leader. The verdict comes as new divisions emerge over demands for an international inquiry and political accountability for the port blast, caused by a huge amount of unsafely stored chemicals. A massive car bomb killed Lebanon's former prime minister Hariri and 21 others on Feb. 14, 2005. Ziad Sahyouni, 55, questioned the importance of the verdict set against the port blast.

Source: CBC News August 17, 2020 14:48 UTC