Controversy Over Cause of Lebanon Explosion Disaster... "House Arrest for Employee Involved with Ammonium Nitrate"

Al Jazeera "Lebanon Court Continues to Delay Decision on Ammonium Nitrate Disposal"
Israel "Ready to Help as Human to Human"... Denies Involvement Allegations

[Image source=Yonhap News]

[Asia Economy Reporter Hyunwoo Lee] The Lebanese government has begun holding officials accountable who left the ammonium nitrate at the Beirut port?identified as the cause of the Beirut explosion disaster?unattended for years without safety measures.

According to foreign media including AP News on the 5th (local time), Manal Abdel Samad, Lebanon's Minister of Information, stated, "I have requested the military leadership to place all Beirut port employees involved in the storage and handling of ammonium nitrate under house arrest." This move is interpreted as an effort to hold those responsible for leaving 2,750 tons of ammonium nitrate in the Beirut port warehouse unattended without safety precautions, which was identified as a major cause of the explosion disaster. So far, 135 people have died from the explosion, and the death toll is estimated to exceed 5,000.

The Lebanese government believes that corrupt senior officials were already aware of the presence and dangers of the ammonium nitrate but neglected it. According to Al Jazeera, the ammonium nitrate stored in the Beirut port warehouse arrived in September 2013 aboard a ship owned by a Russian company. The ship had docked at Beirut port due to hull damage while en route to Mozambique, and when seized by Lebanese customs, the shipowner and crew abandoned the vessel. Subsequently, Lebanese customs submitted official letters to the court at least five times, requesting a decision on how to handle the large quantity of ammonium nitrate stored in the port warehouse, citing the danger. However, for unknown reasons, the court has delayed making a decision until now.

Andrea Sella, a professor of weapons chemistry at University College London, told CNN in an interview, "Ammonium nitrate is notorious for its explosive risk, as seen in the 2015 Tianjin port explosion in China and the 2013 Texas fertilizer plant explosion. It is a substance with very clear regulations worldwide, so it is unbelievable that such a huge amount was left unattended for six years in an area densely populated by many people."

While fierce debates over responsibility are expected among various factions within Lebanon, Israel?suspected by some as being behind the scenes?has unusually expressed its intention to provide urgent humanitarian aid. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said in a parliamentary speech that day, "We are ready to help Lebanon as human beings," and the Israeli military issued a statement saying, "Now is the time to rise above conflict," announcing plans to build a field hospital near the border with Lebanon and provide treatment for those injured in the explosion.