BEIRUT (Reuters) – Lebanon is commemorating the third anniversary of the devastating Beirut port explosion, which resulted in the deaths of at least 220 people, left thousands injured, and caused massive damage throughout the city.
Despite the scale of the destruction, there has been no accountability for senior officials involved. Here is a summary of the incident and the subsequent investigation challenges:
THE EXPLOSION
The explosion is believed to have been triggered by a fire in a warehouse at the Beirut port on August 4, 2020, at around 6 p.m. (1600 GMT). This fire ignited hundreds of tons of ammonium nitrate.
Originally intended for Mozambique on a Russian-leased vessel, the chemicals had been stored at the port since 2013, following an unscheduled stop.
The cargo, caught in a legal dispute over unpaid fees and defects, remained unclaimed.
The FBI determined that the amount that detonated was one-fifth of the 2,754 tons unloaded in 2013, raising suspicions that a significant portion of the cargo had gone missing.
The blast created a mushroom cloud over Beirut and its impact was felt as far as 250 kilometers (155 miles) away in Cyprus.
WHO KNEW ABOUT THE CHEMICALS?
Multiple Lebanese officials, including then-President Michel Aoun and then-Prime Minister Hassan Diab, were aware of the stored cargo.
In the aftermath of the explosion, Aoun claimed to have instructed security chiefs to take necessary action upon learning about the chemicals. Diab maintains he bears no responsibility.
A 2021 report by Human Rights Watch concluded that high-ranking security and government officials “anticipated the significant threat to life…and tacitly accepted the risk of deaths occurring.”
INVESTIGATION STYMIED
Political factions wield considerable influence over the judiciary, a problem acknowledged by Lebanon’s top judge in 2022.
Judge Fadi Sawan, appointed by the justice minister to investigate the blast, charged three former ministers and Diab with negligence in December 2020. However, he was removed from the case in February 2021 following complaints from two ex-ministers, Ali Hassan Khalil and Ghazi Zeitar, who alleged he had exceeded his authority.
Sawan’s successor, Fadi Bitar, sought to interrogate key figures including Khalil and Zeitar, all of whom deny any wrongdoing. However, their demands for Bitar’s removal due to alleged bias and errors resulted in multiple suspensions of the investigation.
The judges assigned to rule on these complaints retired in 2022, and no replacements were appointed, leaving the investigation in limbo.
In early 2023, Bitar unexpectedly resumed the probe and brought charges against additional officials, including Abbas Ibrahim, a high-ranking security official during the incident. Nevertheless, Lebanon’s top public prosecutor charged Bitar for allegedly exceeding his powers and ordered the release of detainees, including the former head of the Beirut port authority, effectively halting the investigation once again.
HEZBOLLAH’S ROLE
Hezbollah, an Iran-backed group, has dismissed public allegations of controlling the port or storing arms there. The organization actively campaigned against Bitar when he attempted to question its allies.
In 2021, a Hezbollah official threatened Bitar with repercussions and a protest by Hezbollah supporters turned violent in Beirut.
Hezbollah has also accused the United States of interfering in the investigation, a claim denied by the U.S. ambassador.
OVERSEAS ACTIONS
Victims have sought justice in foreign courts.
Last year, some of them filed a $250 million claim in the United States against a company linked to the ship. In June, a London court awarded nearly $1 million in damages to victims. However, due to the undisclosed identity of the beneficial owner of a British-registered firm involved in selling the chemicals, it remains unclear who will be held liable to pay.
(Writing by Tom Perry, Timour Azhari, Maya Gebeily; Editing by Tomasz Janowski)
Credit: The Star : News Feed
