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In August an explosion ripped through #Beirut. 6 months on, there’s been little accountability.
But courageous, determined people continue to search for the truth.
Here @SkyNews gives you a glimpse of the agony & quest for answers.
[thread & film
]
![In August an explosion ripped through #Beirut. 6 months on, there’s been little accountability.But courageous, determined people continue to search for the truth. Here @SkyNews gives you a glimpse of the agony & quest for answers. [thread & film]](https://pbs.twimg.com/media/EtZfBjHXIAAT-OZ.jpg "In August an explosion ripped through #Beirut. 6 months on, there’s been little accountability.But courageous, determined people continue to search for the truth. Here @SkyNews gives you a glimpse of the agony & quest for answers. [thread & film]")
We show you a web of companies & locations all with possible links to the ammonium nitrate which exploded.
Authorities in Russia, Georgia, Mozambique, Syria, Cyprus and the UK are all being urged to investigate in the absence of any proactive Lebanese investigation.
Authorities in Russia, Georgia, Mozambique, Syria, Cyprus and the UK are all being urged to investigate in the absence of any proactive Lebanese investigation.
It is the families who are driving the calls for an international investigation.
We spoke to Sarah Copland ( @sas_yvonne) who lost her little boy Isaac. “It's like a physical pain - missing him. It's like I feel him. I feel his absence & it's painful, physically painful.”
We spoke to Sarah Copland ( @sas_yvonne) who lost her little boy Isaac. “It's like a physical pain - missing him. It's like I feel him. I feel his absence & it's painful, physically painful.”
And we spoke to Mehdi Zahreldine who lost his brother Imad.
“This is the crime of the century… Everyone who knew about the substance [ammonium nitrate that] was responsible for the Beirut Port blast.” he tells @SkyNews
![And we spoke to Mehdi Zahreldine who lost his brother Imad. “This is the crime of the century… Everyone who knew about the substance [ammonium nitrate that] was responsible for the Beirut Port blast.” he tells @SkyNews](https://pbs.twimg.com/media/EtZfDyIXEAAJGMp.jpg "And we spoke to Mehdi Zahreldine who lost his brother Imad. “This is the crime of the century… Everyone who knew about the substance [ammonium nitrate that] was responsible for the Beirut Port blast.” he tells @SkyNews")
“This is the crime of the century… Everyone who knew about the substance [ammonium nitrate that] was responsible for the Beirut Port blast.” he tells @SkyNews
This is Mehdi’s brother Imad, in the white shirt, trying to help put the fire out moments before one of the world’s largest ever non-nuclear explosions.
The Lebanese investigation hasn’t provided them with the answers they need.
It’s been left to determined lawyers & local journalists like @ferashatoum to do the work.
They have exposed an unexplained link to the
.
It’s been left to determined lawyers & local journalists like @ferashatoum to do the work.
They have exposed an unexplained link to the
.
A document obtained by @ferashatoum suggests a company called Savaro purchased the Ammonium Nitrate which was apparently destined for mine detonation in Mozambique but offloaded from an impounded Russian ship in Beirut.
The company has its registered address in London.
The company has its registered address in London.
In January the owners of Savaro tried to file for liquidation.
@ferashatoum found 2 businesses owned by Syrian businessmen at the same address among many other firms.
The brother of 1 of the businessmen was sanctioned by
in 2015 for trying to import ammonium nitrate to Syria
@ferashatoum found 2 businesses owned by Syrian businessmen at the same address among many other firms.
The brother of 1 of the businessmen was sanctioned by
in 2015 for trying to import ammonium nitrate to Syria
Naturally, @ferashatoum would like the authorities in a number of countries to investigate... none of the companies he has contacted in his inquiries has been contacted by the Lebanese investigators. They are not even trying to investigate, he alleges.
But in , a glimmer of hope. The chair of the parliamentary group on anti-corruption @margarethodge has, on behalf of lawyers in Lebanon, written to business secretary @KwasiKwarteng. “I have deep concerns about this company…” she writes.
, a glimmer of hope. The chair of the parliamentary group on anti-corruption @margarethodge has, on behalf of lawyers in Lebanon, written to business secretary @KwasiKwarteng. “I have deep concerns about this company…” she writes.
The Syrian men say they are not linked to Savaro & deny any link to the ammonium nitrate in Beirut. The women listed as Savaro’s director denies being the company’s actual owner.We asked caretaker Justice Minister for an interview but she was unavailable for comment.
Read our report on Beirut’s struggle for answers and justice here http://news.sky.com/story/beirut-explosion-victims-families-still-seeking-answers-and-justice-six-months-later-12207982
Watch our film on the people of Beirut’s struggle for answers and justice here (edited by @abukalamrami, produced by @alexmmarshall6, pix by @Tariq_Keblaoui, @FirasHaidar, @Camera_OP)
