NNA: Customs chief Badri Daher officially arrested after the explosion of Beirut

The state-run National News Agency reported that the head of customs authority of Lebanon was officially detained on Monday after being questioned about the huge blast in Beirut that happened at the beginning of this month.

Indeed, the investigation is focused on the reason that almost 3,000 tons of explosive ammonium nitrate were being stored at the port of the city. The fire of this stock caused an explosion that destroyed the capital, killing almost 180 people and injured 6,000. Moreover, thirty people remain missing after the explosion that caused an estimated $10 million to $15 billion of destruction.

Whereas, documents that appeared after the explosion reported that the officials have known that 2,750 tons of ammonium nitrate was stored for years in a warehouse at the port of the city and knew about the risks.

The agency reported that Judge Fadi Sawan interrogate the customs chief Badri Daher, who was arrested after days from the blast, in the presence of his two lawyers, and then issuing the arrest note, he will still in charge as the investigation advances.

NNA also declared that after interrogating Daher, the Judge visited the scene of the explosion to evaluate the damage and will return to interrogate Hassan Koraytem, who was the highest response in port until the day of the explosion.

In the same context, the President of Lebanon, Michel Aoun, declared that the survey on the destructive explosion is “very complex” and would not be ended quickly. Aoun also reported that the investigation is divided into three parts. The objective of the first is to determine the circumstances surrounding the cargo, while the second where it came from and who shipped it, and the third is about to find who was responsible for handling and securing it. He said that the FBI and French investigators were helping as they, more than us, have the capability and ability to find out the details of what got the ship here, what the source is, and who owns it.

A nine-member team of FBI investigators have sent in Beirut on Sunday, as declared a Lebanese aviation official, and were joined the investigation. It’s noted that French investigators have been active at the port for days.

The Lebanese population is anger against the ruling elite’s corruption and mismanagement. Furthermore, the government of Lebanon, which is supported by the militant Hezbollah group and its allies, announced its resignation on August 10 and kept serving in a caretaker capacity. There are no formal consultations ongoing on who will replace Hassan Diab as prime minister and no candidate has appeared.