Intel: FBI to join investigation into Beirut blast

Aug 13, 2020

The FBI will lend its expertise to the investigators probing the explosion that killed at least 172 people in Beirut last week, US Undersecretary for Political Affairs David Hale said today in the Lebanese capital. 

Hale, the highest ranking US official to visit Beirut since the blast, said the FBI would be joining Lebanese and foreign investigators at the invitation of the Lebanese government. 

“I’m with you. I stand with you, my government does, and the American people do,” the senior diplomat said while touring the destruction in east Beirut’s Gemmayze neighborhood. 

Why it matters: Lebanese officials are running their own investigation and have taken a number of port and customs officials into custody for questioning. But a chorus of foreign governments have called for a more credible, independent probe of the blast, which Lebanese authorities say was caused by some 2,700 tons of highly explosive ammonium nitrate stored unsafely at Beirut’s port since 2014. 

An outside investigation is also a leading demand of the protesters who have taken to Beirut’s streets in recent days, most of whom blame long-running government negligence and corruption for the blast. Under growing public pressure, Lebanese Prime Minister Hassan Diab and his ministers resigned Monday, but will stay on in a caretaker role until a new government is formed.