Former Lebanese President Michel Aoun. (Credit: AFP/File photo)
Lebanon prosecutor has requested charges for former President Michel Aoun over Beirut port blast, AFP reported Tuesday.
In a televised interview with journalist Ricardo Karam on local al-Jadeed TV on Aug. 30, 2020, Aoun said when he knew about the hazardous material at the Port of Beirut "it was too late."
Aoun said the investigation should determine why the ship was carrying ammonium nitrate and why it came to Lebanon despite having another destination. He also said he was not following the investigation’s details because of judicial confidentiality.
Asked why he did not accompany French President Emmanuel Macron during his visit to Beirut’s devastated neighborhoods after the blast, Aoun said Macron had asked to go alone.
The Beirut port blast on Aug. 4, 2020, killed over 200 people, injured more than 6,000, and devastated large parts of the capital. Ranked as one of the largest non-nuclear explosions in history, the explosion leveled surrounding neighborhoods and commercial hubs. Domestic probes have faced ongoing political delays, legal suspensions, and challenges regarding official accountability.