The United Nations in 2013 inspected and cleared the cargo of the ship that delivered nearly 3,000 tons of ammonium nitrate that exploded two weeks ago in Beirut Port, local newspaper Al-Akhbar reported Tuesday.
Judicial Investigator Judge Fadi Sawwan Monday interrogated Customs chief Badri Daher for four and a half hours for his role in the devastating Aug. 4 port blast.
During that interrogation, Daher reportedly told Sawwan that the United Nations Peacekeeping Force in south Lebanon inspected the Rhosus when it entered Lebanese territorial waters in 2013.
UNIFIL’s Maritime Task Force, whose mandate is to "verify that there are no unauthorized arms or related materials” on board vessels entering Lebanese waters, reportedly found no restricted items on the Rhosus.
UNIFIL was not immediately available for comment when contacted by The Daily Star Tuesday.
Sawwan has so far pressed charges against 25 people in relation to the explosion, which ripped through the heart of Beirut on Aug. 4, killing at least 180 people and injuring a further 7,000.
Daher was arrested Monday after his questioning. His predecessor Shafik Merhi and the head of Beirut Port Hasan Koraytem are among those detained.
The NNA reported Monday that Sawwan will interrogate Koraytem Tuesday, along with port security official Muhammad al-Awf, and the director of warehouses at the port, Michel Nakhoul.
This article has been adapted from its original source.
