Wow ... massive explosion in Beirut

[Truckman]

Here's what the explosion looked like from inside St. George Hospital in Beirut......Ben

[Dave Grubb]

This just seen in the WSJ:

The person briefed on the Lebanese military investigation said that members of Lebanon’s top security agency, the General Security, became aware of the ammonium nitrate last month and wrote a letter to the authorities on July 20, requesting that it be secured.

Mr. Diab received the document on July 20, according to one of his advisers. On July 22, Mr. Diab sent it to Lebanon’s Supreme Defense Council for comment. Mr. Diab discussed the issue with officials on the day of the blast, according to the adviser.

On the day of the explosion, port workers were sent to carry out the welding on the warehouse to secure the facility, according to the prime minister’s adviser and the person briefed on the investigation. The works are then suspected to have ignited confiscated fireworks or ammunition nearby, the person said.

[wacojoe]

I read an article last week that explained that the head of the port authority had written a series of 6 formal letters over the 7 years he was over its retention to the Lebanese court in charge of the confiscated AN pleading for an order to get rid of the stuff because of the danger. Not a peep from the court. Next, I read where they had arrested a bunch of port personnel. What are the odds that the author of the letters was one of those arrested?