Six years after the explosion at the port of Beirut: Lebanon accelerates the investigation into the disaster
The Lebanese Minister of Justice announced that the investigation into the Beirut port explosion will be managed as a top priority, promising that the file will be transferred to an investigating judge within 60-90 days. Six years after the disaster, which killed 218 people, Lebanon promises to advance the search for the truth.
Six years after the disaster at the port of Beirut, Lebanese Minister of Justice Adel Nasser announced this evening (Tuesday) that the investigation will be conducted by the Judicial Council and will be a top priority. According to him, the investigation file is complex and extensive. He noted that the file will be transferred from the Public Prosecution to an investigating judge within 60 to 90 days and will reach the Judicial Council before the end of the calendar year.
"I greet the families of the victims and the entire Lebanese people. The explosion at the port is not an issue concerning a specific group or sector. It is true that some paid a heavier price than others, and there are no words that can describe the magnitude of the pain. This is not just a legal matter, but a moral, human, and national matter." — declared Nasser.
On August 4, 2020, a massive explosion rocked the port of Beirut. 218 people were killed and at least 7,000 were injured. An initial inquiry revealed that a stockpile of ammonium nitrate, kept in a warehouse under poor conditions, led to the disaster.
According to foreign reports, the ship carrying the ammonium nitrate sailed from Georgia and was supposed to arrive in Mozambique. The ship's captain said that he stopped at the port of Beirut to pick up additional cargo. However, during the docking, defects were discovered on the ship and it was confiscated. The ammonium nitrate was transferred to storage and was not cleared for years, until the day it exploded.
Later it was reported that two Syrian businessmen were involved in the shipment, and that the explosive cargo was intended to arrive at the port of Beirut from the beginning. From there, apparently, the stockpile was to be used as a means of warfare. Consequently, claims arose that Hezbollah was also involved in the affair. In any case, the investigation experienced prolonged delays, including the dismissal of the investigating judge and the freezing of the process. Today, the Lebanese government promises to place the search for the truth at the top of its priorities.
