Many unanswered questions remain after the devastating explosion in Beirut. The government has already resigned. Now an insider is unpacking.
- The violent explosion in Beirut led to protests and political aftermath.
- The Lebanese government around Prime Minister Diab announced its withdrawal.
- Now an insider unpacks that the government has been warned of the danger in the port .
Beirut - At least 165 people were killed in the violent explosion in the port of Beirut . Many now denounce that the catastrophe was avoidable. The confidence of the Lebanese people in the government has been badly shaken. Massive protests ensued in the capital and Prime Minister Diab announced his resignation on Monday evening .
While the search for injured people continues, the big question arises as to what caused the detonation . How did it come about that 2,750 tons of ammonium nitrate were stored unsecured in the port for years? Diab declared the "chronic corruption" responsible. Several dock workers have since been arrested.
The resignation of the Lebanese government alone will not be enough to calm the situation in the country, reports ZDF correspondent Uli Gack from #Beirut. "The demonstrators want to abolish the political elite, they want to change the system." https://t.co/yqpuqMM0v6 pic.twitter.com/Q6DDLyGpQf
- ZDF Morgenmagazin (@morgenmagazin) August 11, 2020Explosion in Beirut: was the disaster avoidable? Now an insider is unpacking
The government could have intervened. That at least put the statements of an insider close to the levels cited, citing Reuters.
"There was a risk that if the material had been stolen, it could be used for terrorist attacks, " he says. " I warned you that this could destroy Beirut if it exploded."
Lebanon: Warning letter from security experts - government was probably warned of Beirut explosion
He is said to have been co-author of a warning letter that was allegedly sent to the Lebanese government on July 20 . In the letter, security experts had expressly warned of the stored chemicals and sent it directly to Prime Minister Hassan Diab and President Michel Aoun.
The people of Beirut now had to experience with pain that the warning - if it actually existed - fell on deaf ears for too long. There has been no reaction from the government to the allegations to date and now appears unlikely after the resignation. ( moe )
List of rubric lists: © Marwan Naamani / dpa