About this episode
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.
