Lebanon judge issues two new arrest warrants over Beirut blast

An aerial view shows the massive damage done to Beirut port's grain silos (C) and the area around it on August 5, 2020, one day after a mega-blast tore through the harbour in the heart of the Lebanese capital with the force of an earthquake, killing more than 100 people and injuring over 4,000. (AFP)

• The subjects of the warrants are Beirut’s customs authority director, Hanna Fares, and Nayla Al-Hajj, an engineer contracted for maintenance work at warehouse 12
• The blast caused severe damage across swathes of the city, killed at least 181 people and injured more than 6,500

BEIRUT: A Lebanese judge leading investigations into Beirut’s port blast issued two new arrest warrants on Friday, a judicial source told AFP.
“The investigating judge, Fadi Sawan, continued his investigations... and today issued two arrest warrants,” the source said.
According to the official National News Agency, the subjects of the warrants are Beirut’s customs authority director, Hanna Fares, and Nayla Al-Hajj, an engineer contracted for maintenance work at warehouse 12, where the explosion took place.
A huge stock of ammonium nitrate stored unsecured for years in the rundown warehouse at the Lebanese capital’s port exploded on August 4.
The blast caused severe damage across swathes of the city, killed at least 181 people and injured more than 6,500.
Lebanon has launched an investigation into the disaster, which many have blamed on official negligence and corruption.
So far arrest warrants have been issued for six of the 25 people currently facing lawsuits over the blast, including Beirut Port director-general Hassan Koraytem and customs director-general, Badri Daher.
While authorities have rebuffed widespread calls for an international probe, Lebanon’s investigation is being aided by foreign experts, including from the US Federal Bureau of Investigation.
France, which counted among the dead several of its citizens, has launched its own enquiry.