It’s been one week now since the worst disaster in Lebanon’s history, and we still haven’t heard a word regarding the ongoing investigation. Every day, we’re hearing a new story regarding the 2,750 tons of ammonium nitrate but what we know so far is that a LOT of people knew about it.
1- President Michel Aoun received a report by the General Directorate of State Security on July 20, which he escalated to the concerned ministry, based on what he said. This is assuming that the President was never informed about this matter by Lebanese Customs Chief Badri Daher, who belongs to the same political party as he does, and has visited him on several occasions in past years.
2- Prime Minister Hassan Diab also received the same report and it was sent to the Supreme Defence Council for advice within 48 hours. It would have been wiser for Diab maybe to raise the alarm on this matter rather than waste time on empty speeches.
3- Parliament Speaker Nabih Berri: Berri has presided over the last ten governments or more, and has more than two ore three high officials within his own party at the port. It would be shocking if none of his ministers, MPs, party members in charge at the port told him about this matter.
All the security forces, from the Lebanese Army, General Directorate of State Security, ISF and others must have know about it as well. In fact, an article by NYTimes mentioned a American contractor working with the U.S. Army warned at least four years ago about a large cache of potentially explosive chemicals that was stored in Beirut’s port in unsafe conditions, according to a United States diplomatic cable.
Add to that all the judges and state prosecutors that received letters regarding the storage of this substance in large amounts at the port, all the the former prime ministers, including PM Saad Hariri who visited the port back in 2019 and has people from his party working there, all the former ministers, specifically the Public Works & Justice Ministers, and the list goes on …
This being said, the easiest question to ask at this point is who didn’t know about this ticking bomb laying dormant for years at a Beirut Port Warehouse? and how come NOTHING WAS DONE FOR SIX FREAKING YEARS!?!
While it’s clear at this point that the customs and port officials are the most to blame here, knowing that the Customs bylaws authorized its head to destroy the substances if found not compatible, any serious investigation should include everyone who was involved directly or indirectly in this matter.
This is a massacre, a disaster and we want justice not scapegoats.