Lebanese security officials worried about the massive supply of ammonium nitrate in the port of Beirut had sent a letter to the country two weeks before the explosion and the country’s president, warning that the material could “destroy” the capital if it exploded, a report says.
The letter summarized the results of a forensic investigation launched in January into the 2,750-tonne explosives stored there, Reuters reported, citing a senior security official. The ammonium nitrate exploded after a fire on August 4, killing at least 220 people, injuring more than 7,000 others, and leaving an estimated 300,000 homeless.
“There was a danger that this material, like steel, could be used in a terrorist attack,” an official told Reuters in writing the letter.
TREY YINGST LEBANON REPORTS TO PRIME MINISTER, CABINET DESIGN
“I warned them that this could destroy Beirut if it exploded,” he added.
Reuters could not independently confirm the contents of the letter, but a representative of Prime Minister Hassan Diab said his government acted immediately when he received it.
“The current cabinet received the file 14 days before the explosion and acted on it in a matter of days,” the official told Reuters. “Previous administrations had more than six years and did nothing.”
Diab and his cabinet were fired Monday after the blast erupted.
President Michel Aoun meanwhile said last week that he was aware of the ammonium nitrate in Beirut and ordered security and military agencies under his watch to address the issue, Reuters reports.
“[The state security service] said it’s dangerous. I’m not responsible! I do not know where it was placed and I did not know how dangerous it was, “the news agency told him. “I do not have the authority to deal with the port directly. There is a hierarchy and all who knew they knew their duties needed to do it. “
BEIRUT COP KILLED In anti-government classes
The investigation, launched in January, reportedly centered around the hangar at the port where the material was stored after it was seized in December 2013 from a Russian-registered, Moldovan-flagged ship.
The probe was initiated after it was discovered that the hangar was unguarded and had a hole in one of the walls, according to Reuters.
Attorney General Oweidat, at the end of the investigation, “gave orders immediately” to secure and repair the hangar, another security official told the news agency.
The fire that started the explosion was caused by workers leaving the site, reports Reuters.
CLICK HERE TO CLICK THE FOX NEWS APP
“Considering that fireworks were stored in the same hangar, after an hour a large fire was set by the fireworks and that spread to the material that exploded when the temperature exceeded 210 degrees,” the official said.
“Just because the hangar is facing the sea, the impact of the explosion was reduced. Otherwise, all of Beirut would be destroyed, “he added.” The issue is all about negligence, irresponsibility, poor storage and poor judgment. “
Fox News’ Talia Kaplan contributed to this report.
