The Lebanese presidency confirms President Aoun's knowledge of the presence of ammonium nitrate in the Beirut port two weeks before the explosion
The explosion of the Beirut port caused widespread destruction in the capital. Archives
The Lebanese presidency said that President Michel Aoun knew of a "large quantity" of ammonium nitrate in the Beirut port on July 20, that is, two weeks before the explosion, which left 171 people dead and more than 6 thousand wounded, stressing that he informed the Supreme Defense Council, immediately.
Media reported that the Lebanese President, Michel Aoun, was aware that ammonium nitrate was present in the Beirut port, and the presidency issued a statement to clarify this matter.
The Lebanese presidential statement, published this evening, Wednesday, stated, “In response to what was reported by the media and social media about the report of His Excellency General Michel Aoun, the report of the General Directorate of State Security, dated 07/20/2020, about the presence of a large amount of ammonium nitrate in Sunday The wards of the Beirut port, the Directorate affirms that, as soon as the President is informed of the aforementioned report, the Military and Security Adviser of his Excellency informed the Secretary-General of the Supreme Defense Council in the Presidency of the Council of Ministers of this report to take the necessary action.
The presidency of the republic in response to some media: As soon as President Aoun informed the State Security report on 20-7-2020 about the presence of a large amount of ammonium nitrate in one of the wards of the Beirut port, the military advisor to his Excellency informed the Secretary-General of the Supreme Council for Defense in the Presidency of the Council of Ministers of this report to conduct The necessary 1/3
- Lebanese Presidency (@LBpresidency) August 12, 2020The statement indicated that the Secretary-General of the Council may in turn inform the text of the report in accordance with the principles he stated in his explanatory statement on 8/8/2020 and referred it to the competent references.
The General Directorate of the Presidency of the Republic: The Secretary General of the Supreme Defense Council had in turn notified the text of the State Security report in accordance with the rules, according to what he stated in his explanatory statement on 8-8-2020, and referred it to the competent references. 2/3
- Lebanese Presidency (@LBpresidency) August 12, 2020The statement stressed that the Presidency of the Lebanese Republic is keen on ensuring that the judicial and judicial investigation takes its full extent, according to the applicable texts, using all the experiences it sees to clarify the full truth about the explosion, its circumstances, and those responsible for it at all levels.
The Presidency of the Republic is keen to ensure that the judicial and judicial investigation takes its full extent in accordance with the applicable texts, using all the experiences it deems necessary to clarify the full truth about the explosion, its circumstances, and those responsible for it at all levels. 3/3
- Lebanese Presidency (@LBpresidency) August 12, 2020Yesterday, Tuesday, Anadolu Agency published a report, in which it confirmed from its sources that the Presidency of the Lebanese Republic had submitted a report to the Supreme Council to defend the presence of this substance in the port.
The General Secretariat of the Supreme Defense Council denied, earlier, that the General Directorate of State Security had submitted a report to the Presidency of the Government about the shipment of ammonium nitrate.
And she explained, in a statement, that she did not receive any correspondence in this regard, except for those received on July 22, 2020, and took the necessary action, and referred it, based on the directives of the Prime Minister, Hassan Diab, to the Ministries of Justice and Works on July 24.
Reuters reported, yesterday, Tuesday, that it had seen documents stating that Lebanese security officials warned the Prime Minister and Head of State, last month, that the presence of 2,750 tons of ammonia nitrate in a warehouse in the port of Beirut represents a security risk that may destroy the capital, if That material exploded.
Security sources confirmed this as well. After a little more than two weeks of warning, the massive explosion wiped out most of the port and sections of the Lebanese capital, killing 173 people, wounding six thousand others, and destroying about 6,000 buildings.
A report from the General Directorate of State Security on the events that led to the explosion included a reference to a letter sent by private mail to President Michel Aoun and Prime Minister Hassan Diab on July 20.
Although the content of the letter was not included in the report reviewed by Reuters, a senior security official said that it summarizes the findings of a judicial investigation that began in January and concluded that the chemicals must be secured immediately.