Pakistan army says 300 hostages freed from train seized by militants    Philippines' Duterte in The Hague after ICC arrest over drug war    Trade war escalates as Trump pledges more tariffs    Grand Mufti rules against posting prayers and preaching in mosques on social media    Absher carries out over 430 million e-transactions in 2024    Haramain Railway operates over 3,400 trips with 1.6 million seats during Ramadan    Argentinian court begins trial of seven healthcare professionals over Maradona's death    Man lives for 100 days with titanium heart in successful new trial    TGA: Minimum fine of SR5,000 for firms failing to deliver postal shipments    EU strikes back against US steel and aluminum tariffs with retaliatory package    Saudi and Turkish defense ministers discuss military cooperation in Jeddah    Al Hilal crushes Pakhtakor to storm into AFC Champions League quarter-finals    Mahrez magic sends Al Ahli into AFC Champions League quarter-finals    Al Taawoun edges Tractor in penalty thriller to reach AFC Champions League Two semi-finals    Hosting US-Ukraine talks reflects Saudi Arabia's balanced relations, Cabinet affirms    Saudi, US defense ministers discuss over phone efforts to strengthen security cooperation    Al-Jadaan and his US counterpart discuss ways to enhance financial and economic cooperation    Saudi Aramco CEO calls for a new global energy model at CERAWeek 2025    Singer Wheesung who wooed Korea with his ballads, found dead at 43    Prince Frederik of Luxembourg dies from rare disease    Real-life shipwreck story wins major book award    King Salman prays for peace and stability for Palestinians in Ramadan message King reaffirms Saudi Arabia's commitment to serving the Two Holy Mosques and pilgrims    Bollywood star Saif Ali Khan 'out of danger' after attack at home in Mumbai    Order vs. Morality: Lessons from New York's 1977 Blackout    Exotic Taif Roses Simulation Performed at Taif Rose Festival    Asian shares mixed Tuesday    Weather Forecast for Tuesday    Saudi Tourism Authority Participates in Arabian Travel Market Exhibition in Dubai    Minister of Industry Announces 50 Investment Opportunities Worth over SAR 96 Billion in Machinery, Equipment Sector    HRH Crown Prince Offers Condolences to Crown Prince of Kuwait on Death of Sheikh Fawaz Salman Abdullah Al-Ali Al-Malek Al-Sabah    HRH Crown Prince Congratulates Santiago Peña on Winning Presidential Election in Paraguay    SDAIA Launches 1st Phase of 'Elevate Program' to Train 1,000 Women on Data, AI    41 Saudi Citizens and 171 Others from Brotherly and Friendly Countries Arrive in Saudi Arabia from Sudan    Saudi Arabia Hosts 1st Meeting of Arab Authorities Controlling Medicines    General Directorate of Narcotics Control Foils Attempt to Smuggle over 5 Million Amphetamine Pills    NAVI Javelins Crowned as Champions of Women's Counter-Strike: Global Offensive (CS:GO) Competitions    Saudi Karate Team Wins Four Medals in World Youth League Championship    Third Edition of FIFA Forward Program Kicks off in Riyadh    Evacuated from Sudan, 187 Nationals from Several Countries Arrive in Jeddah    SPA Documents Thajjud Prayer at Prophet's Mosque in Madinah    SFDA Recommends to Test Blood Sugar at Home Two or Three Hours after Meals    SFDA Offers Various Recommendations for Safe Food Frying    SFDA Provides Five Tips for Using Home Blood Pressure Monitor    SFDA: Instant Soup Contains Large Amounts of Salt    Mawani: New shipping service to connect Jubail Commercial Port to 11 global ports    Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques Delivers Speech to Pilgrims, Citizens, Residents and Muslims around the World    Sheikh Al-Issa in Arafah's Sermon: Allaah Blessed You by Making It Easy for You to Carry out This Obligation. Thus, Ensure Following the Guidance of Your Prophet    Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques addresses citizens and all Muslims on the occasion of the Holy month of Ramadan    







Thank you for reporting!
This image will be automatically disabled when it gets reported by several people.



Security chiefs questioned over Beirut port blast
Published in The Saudi Gazette on 10 - 08 - 2020

A judge on Monday began questioning the heads of the country's security agencies over last week's devastating blast in Beirut as another Cabinet minister resigned in protest.
Judge Ghassan El Khoury began questioning Maj. Gen. Tony Saliba, the head of State Security, according to state-run National News Agency. It gave no further details, but other generals are scheduled to be questioned.
Justice Minister Marie-Claude Najm, who was sprayed with water and verbally attacked last week during a visit to the damaged area, meanwhile handed her resignation to the prime minister on Monday, the news agency said. She is the third Cabinet minister to resign over the blast.
A Cabinet meeting is scheduled for later Monday, amid speculation the government could resign en masse. If a total of seven out of the 20 ministers resign, the Cabinet would effectively become a caretaker government. At least nine members of parliament have resigned.
The Aug. 4, blast killed 160 people and wounded about 6,000, in addition to destroying the country's main port and damaging large parts of the capital. Losses from the blast are estimated to be between $10 billion to $15 billion, and nearly 300,000 people were left homeless in the immediate aftermath.
The explosion is believed to have been caused by a fire that ignited a stockpile of explosive material that had been stored at the port since 2013. The disaster has been widely blamed on years of corruption and neglect by the entrenched political leadership that has governed Lebanon since its 1975-90 civil war.
About 20 people have been detained over the blast, including the head of Lebanon's customs department and his predecessor, as well as the head of the port. Dozens of people have been questioned, including two former Cabinet ministers, according to government officials.
The investigation is focused on how 2,750 ton of ammonium nitrate, a highly explosive chemical used in fertilizers, came to be stored at a warehouse in Beirut's port for six years, and why nothing was done about it.
State Security had compiled a report about the dangers of storing the material at the port and sent a copy to the offices of the president and prime minister on July 20.
Protesters have clashed with security forces over the past two days in Beirut. The demonstrators blame the explosion and a severe economic crisis on the ruling elite and are calling for sweeping political change. Similar demonstrations last autumn fizzled out after several weeks.
Iran, meanwhile, expressed concern that Western countries and their allies might exploit anger over the explosion to pursue their political interests. Iran supports the Hezbollah militant group, which along with its allies dominates the government and parliament.
Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesman Abbas Mousavi said "it is natural for people to be frustrated." But he said it would be "unacceptable if some individuals, groups and foreign countries use the incident as a pretext for their purposes and intentions." — Agencies


Clic here to read the story from its source.