Given the magnitude of the explosion on August 4 in the port of Beirut, one can suspect that it will take time to determine the responsibilities. Lebanese President Michel Aoun, at the head of a power conspired by part of the public opinion, came to confirm Saturday on BFMTV that the investigation will not lead immediately.
Explosions in Beirut: "The investigation will not be able to lead very quickly as we wished", according to the Lebanese president on BFMTV pic.twitter.com/3Joyc6g9g6
- BFMTV (@BFMTV) August 15, 2020Ministers must be heard during the week
Lebanese authorities have opened an investigation and appointed judge Fadi Sawan to lead it. Nearly twenty people, officials from the port and the customs administration, were arrested in connection with the investigation, and ministers must also be heard from next week. "There is no delay in the investigation, but we need time to find out the truth because it is complex," said President Aoun.
Members of the American Federal Police (FBI) are due to arrive in Beirut this weekend to take part in the investigation at the invitation of the Lebanese, just as France is providing logistical support with investigative means and has dispatched police and search teams. The number three of the American diplomacy David Hale pleaded Saturday for a "transparent, complete and credible" investigation into the explosion.
No hypothesis ruled out
The Lebanese president added that no hypothesis was ruled out to explain the explosion. On August 7, he was the first Lebanese official not to dismiss the thesis of "external action, with a missile or a bomb". The 85-year-old head of state assured that he had personally asked President Emmanuel Macron for “aerial images” to determine “if there were planes in (air) space or missiles” at the time of the explosion. "If these images are not available from the French, we will ask other countries," he assured.
The only thing certain is that the tragedy originated in an explosion in a warehouse where, according to the authorities, 2,750 tonnes of ammonium nitrate had been stored for six years. Emmanuel Macron called for a “transparent” international investigation but President Aoun has already spoken out against this option. Lebanese or international investigation, it will be necessary to give answers to the Lebanese on those responsible for the 177 dead and more than 6,500 injured.
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