Lebanon receives Jordan’s probe into ship that delivered explosive material to Beirut port

Lebanon has received the report conducted by Jordanian authorities into the ship which transported the highly explosive ammonium nitrate into Beirut port and caused the devastating blast in August, the official news agency reported.

Lebanon’s Attorney General, Judge Ghassan Oweidat, sent a judicial letter to his Jordanian counterpart asking him to conduct the necessary investigations into a number of persons believed to have contributed to allowing the vessel to unload its cargo in Beirut port.

In response, the Jordanian Public Prosecution heard the testimonies of all persons believed to be involved in the incident and sent the outcome of his investigations to the Lebanese Public Prosecution.

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Judge Fadi Sawwan was then sent the report, he has recently heard from two bomb experts from the Ministry of the Interior as part of investigations into the deadly explosion, the agency added.

The Moldavan-flagged MS Rhosus is widely understood to have brought nearly 3,000 tonnes of ammonium nitrate into Beirut port in 2013, where it stayed until it exploded two months ago, killing nearly 200 and injuring thousands more.

Sawwan has also issued two arrest warrants, in absentia, for the captain and owner of the ship, according to a judicial source cited by AFP.