The Ongoing Investigation into the Beirut Port Explosion

On April 11, Lebanese Judge Tarek Bitar resumed his investigation into the 2020 explosion in Beirut Port with the subpoenaed testimony of two former senior state officials implicated in the affair, Maj Gen Abbas Ibrahim (ex-Director General of General Security) and Maj Gen Tony Saliba (ex-Director General State Security).

The explosion in the port’s quayside Warehouse 12 on August 4, 2020 killed 218, injured thousands and devastated a wide area of central Beirut. The blast was heard in Syria and 125 miles away in Cyprus.

Background of the Investigation

Judge Tarek was appointed to his role in 2021. His predecessor had named a number of ministers and senior officials as suspects in the inquiry, who then had managed to remove him. The same indicted ministers and senior officials, working with a President and Prime Minister and others aligned with the Hezbollah, Amal, and Free Patriotic Movement, used court cases and noncooperation to shut down Judge Tariq’s enquiry. But with a new President and Prime Minister, both dedicated to supporting the independence of state institutions, the Judge has resumed his work – notwithstanding numerous death threats and warnings of ‘chaos’ from Hezbollah-aligned senior Shi’a cleric Mufti Ahmad Kabalan.

Cause of the Explosion

Multiple conspiracy theories and suggestions of Israeli involvement were circulated in the aftermath of the explosion, most designed to put investigators off the scent and to protect the guilty. The cause of the explosion is clear. 2,750 tons of ammonium nitrate were offloaded from the impounded MV Rhosus, which had been declared unseaworthy whilst en route from Georgia to Mozambique.

The explosion on August 4, 2020, was triggered by the unstable storage of the ammonium nitrate alongside fireworks in Warehouse 12, exacerbated by welding repairs being carried out. The subsequent catastrophic explosion resulted in significant loss of life and destruction.

Current Status of the Investigation

Judge Tarek’s inquiry is focused on officials who may have facilitated the pilfering of the ammonium nitrate, rather than on the black market pilferers themselves. The Judge continues to pursue the case, despite obstacles posed by remaining influential figures within the Port of Beirut.

The ongoing investigation aims to bring closure to the families of the victims and restore confidence in the Lebanese government. Convictions resulting from the inquiry will play a crucial role in rebuilding the authority of the state and delivering justice for those affected by the tragedy.