From the Liveblog of
Monday, August 17, 2020
Lebanese customs chief arrested over Beirut blast
Add ToI as a Preferred Source on GoogleThe head of Lebanon’s customs authority is formally arrested after being questioned over the massive explosion in Beirut earlier this month, the state-run National News Agency reports.
The investigation is focused on why nearly 3,000 tons of explosive ammonium nitrate was being stored at the city’s port. The ignition of the stockpile caused an explosion that tore through the capital, killing at least 180 people and wounding 6,000.
Thirty people are still missing after the August 4 blast, which caused an estimated $10 billion to $15 billion in damage.
Documents that surfaced after the blast, the single most destructive in Lebanon’s history, showed that officials have known for years that 2,750 tons of ammonium nitrate were stored in a warehouse at the port and knew about the dangers.
Judge Fadi Sawwan questioned customs chief Badri Daher, who was detained days after the blast, for 4 1/2 hours in the presence of his two lawyers before issuing the arrest warrant, the agency says. Daher will remain in custody as the investigation continues.
NNA says that after questioning Daher, Sawwan headed to the scene of the blast to survey the damage and will later return to question Hassan Koraytem, who was the top port official until the day of the blast.
— AP
The Times of Israel Community.