The details of the Beirut bombing, one of the biggest disasters in Lebanese history and leading to the resignation of the government, are gradually unfolding.
According to documents obtained by Reuters, security officials told the president and prime minister last month that 2,750 tonnes of ammonium nitrate in the port posed a risk and could destroy the capital if it exploded.
The document, prepared by the General Secretariat of State Security, was presented to President Michel Aoun and Prime Minister Hassan Diab on July 20 with a special note.
A senior security official said the document included an investigation that began in January and stressed the importance of ensuring the immediate safety of the chemicals.
Another official, who did not want to be named, said the ammonium nitrate posed a serious threat and could become a weapon for terrorist organizations if stolen. "I warned them that if the substance exploded, Beirut would disappear," he said.
Reuters tried to confirm the allegations, but no statement was received from the other side.
A bomb blast near the Lebanese city of Hiroshima has killed at least 163 people and injured more than 6,000. At least 6,000 buildings were destroyed.
Prime Minister Hassan Diab and four members of his government have submitted their resignations to the president.
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