The Beirut Blast

How do you begin to investigate the explosion that tore through the Lebanese capital city of Beirut, killing more than 200 people? In this episode Nick Wallis takes us back to August 2020, talking to Rana Sabbagh and Aubrey Belford about how OCCRP reporters activated the global network to unravel the opaque web of secrecy behind the cause of the explosion, scouring the globe from Russia to Mozambique to track down the true owner of the deadly cargo that triggered the devastating blast in Lebanon’s capital.We also hear from Paul Najjar, who lived and worked less than a kilometer from the blast site at Beirut port. Paul and Tracy’s three-year-old daughter died as a result of injuries sustained in the explosion.Dirty Deeds a Little Gem production for the OCCRP. The host is Nick Wallis. The producer is Lindsay Riley at Rethink Audio, with research from Phoebe Adler-Ryan and Riham Moussa.Read the investigations:A Hidden Tycoon, African Explosives, and a Loan from a Notorious Bank: Questionable Connections Surround Beirut Explosion ShipmentOwnership of Chemicals that Exploded at Beirut Port Traces Back to UkraineThis week’s guests:Rana Sabbagh - @rana_sabbaghAubrey Belford - @AubreyBelfordPaul NaggearTranscriptRead the transcript on the OCCRP website here.More information on OCCRPKeep up with the latest in global organized crime and corruption at OCCRP and sign up for our weekly newsletter.Follow on X, Facebook, Instagram, and LinkedIn to get the latest updates.Support investigative journalism in the public interest. Donate to OCCRP.[00:00] Introduction[01:21] Paul Naggear recounts the day of the explosion[10:53] Rana Sabbagh explains background and how the investigation began[16:57] Aubrey Belford explains why he volunteered to join the investigation[20:28] Rana describes the difficulties of reporting in the blast’s aftermath[24:03] Background on Lebanese politics[25:26] How reporters uncovered the opaque network of companies linked to the deadly cargo[30:32] Rana and Aubrey describe the impact of the investigation in Lebanon and the UK[32:38] Paul describes his campaign for justice Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Om Podcasten

Are you ready to venture into the shadows? Dirty Deeds unravels the hidden stories of the fraud and deceit behind some of the biggest international scandals in recent years, told by the investigative journalists who uncovered them.We’ll bring you reporting from the Organized Crime and Corruption Reporting Project (OCCRP), a worldwide network of journalists who cross borders and bad guys to shine a bright light on some of the world’s most dangerous criminal networks. We’ll travel the globe from the oil fields of Venezuela to the rosewood forests of Namibia to the steppes of Central Asia. And don’t forget the posh London real estate where much of the dirty cash ends up. These are the inside stories of how the powerful, unscrupulous, and well-connected can acquire unimaginable wealth — and of what it takes to expose them.Dirty Deeds is a Little Gem production for OCCRP. The host is Nick Wallis. The producer is Lindsay Riley at Rethink Audio, with research from Phoebe Adler-Ryan and Riham Moussa. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.