Thread by @ejmalrai

#Lebanon #Beirut
I just spoke to the General who wrote the report about the presence of Ammonium Nitrate at the harbour (n.12) in Beirut and the conditions he found the AN. He told me he has submitted the report last year with a video and photos +

The report was forwarded to the Lebanese Army Intelligence branch, to the direction of the customs and to the President of the council of Ministers's office (Saad Hariri at the time because the report was sent last year).
#Beirut #LebanonExplosion

The General of the National Sec told me that the AN was leaking and pilled in an unprofessional storage way. But the biggest surprise he gave me is the following:

There were poisonous material (I promised him not to share a lot of info) nearby at the Harbour #LebanonExplosion

The General said the Lebanese President Michel Aoun asked about the report yesterday and was forwarded to him.
The Lebanese officer said the ship was heading towards Mozambique but stopped in #Lebanon to offload merchandise but also for repair.

The General said that because of the damage to the ship and becausde the ship needed repair, the owners left it behind because the taxi at the Harbour was too elevated.

The AN shipment was confiscated by the Lebanese authorities and nobody really cared what to do with it.

The number of casualties is now officially 113 (with a strong possibility to increase), 5,000 wounded and there are around 300,000 homeless due to the explosion.

This is the first time, after world war II, that a city is hit by an equivalent of 1000 tons of TNT (2700 tons of AN)

Good morning everyone & thank you for all the messages about #Beirut #Lebanon Explosion.

My answer to all is: NO

There are no indications #Israel is behind the explosion. It is a question of negligence. Lebanese officials didn't learn to look after the safety of their citizens.

I look at facts & listen to my contacts on the ground. If there r statements (like President Trump) or media reports (IDF source claiming Israel is behind it), these lack credibility & are not factual.

Feel free to believe what u want but that is my position with present facts.

At the end of the day, if #Israel wants to hit #Hezbollah, target won't be selected at the Harbour, damaging the area that was most affected.

Look at those who received the report about the pitiful state of the AN, did nothing & how the fire picked up at depo 12 in the 1st place

The official death toll reached 137. Security Sources said it would reach above 175-200 as there are dozens missing. Wounded over 5000 and homeless over 300,000. #Beirut #Lebanon