As Lebanon commemorates the fifth anniversary since the Beirut Port explosion ripped through the country’s capital, families of the victims from the blast have spent the past five years fighting for justice, accountability, and remembrance for their loved ones. The events leading to the military-grade ammonium nitrate being unsafely stored in the port, the blast, and all the local political interference during the investigation, showed the extent of how deep corruption had taken hold of the country. It caused the investigation to be stalled and delayed for months and years. However, for the first time in years, there is a small opening and a push for accountability, with the country’s new leadership sending positive signals toward that goal.
TIMEP spoke to Tania Daou Alam, a Lebanese lawyer who lost Jean-Frederic Alam, her husband of 20 years, during the port blast, and who was herself severely injured. Since that day, she has been fighting fiercely for truth and accountability for what was done to her family and many others.
Can you tell us your story? How were you and your loved ones impacted by the Beirut Port blast? How has the explosion impacted your life since?
The Beirut blast changed my life forever. I was wounded, and in the blink of an eye, I lost my husband. That day was the worst day of my life. My children lost their father, and I lost my life partner. Nothing has been the same since. There is a before and after the blast.
My story is the story of a woman who left her home to see a doctor, asking her husband to come with her, only to return to her children alone. Some images are forever engraved in my memory, the profound helplessness of watching my husband bleed heavily, powerless to help, our blood blending together.
My story is the story of a woman who left her home to see a doctor, asking her husband to come with her, only to return to her children alone
The streets were devastated, filled with wounded people struggling to move. An apocalyptic vision—that is how I would describe what I saw. This is how I remember it.
Today, every window feels like a threat, because I have seen destruction flood over us and cut us deeply. And every noise that echoes like an explosion is a reminder of the trauma we did not survive.
As families of victims, what have been the main obstacles of attaining justice and accountability? Have there been any tangible updates communicated to you from the authorities?
There have been several obstacles on the local level. A main one has been political interference, such as the previous parliament refusing in 2021 to lift the immunity of MPs that the investigative judge Tarek Bitar wanted to question, or the former minister of interior blocking Bitar from executing some arrest warrants. There have also been some judicial obstacles, represented by stalled judicial appointments, various motions and lawsuits against Bitar, filed by people investigated by the judge for their involvement in the port blast, and attempts to remove him altogether that aimed to block the investigation, which led to the suspension of the investigation for years.
Accountability remains just an idea as long as people in power continue to protect one another and shield each other from responsibility
The families have not received any support from the authorities. On the contrary, we were met with resistance at every level. We never felt heard or understood, our cause never felt like it was the nation’s cause. With a new president and government, we can only hope for real change. However, accountability remains just an idea as long as people in power continue to protect one another and shield each other from responsibility. We are no longer listening to promises; we need to see real action.
At the international level, families expected greater understanding and support. For instance, in 2023, we mobilized for the establishment of a UN fact-finding mission to investigate the human rights violations related to the blast, something that has not materialized. But the families hoped that the international community would recognize the scale of the tragedy and would apply real pressure on the authorities to end political interference. There seems to be a collective omertà, an unspoken pact of silence even among nations, to avoid speaking about the explosion, to refrain from naming, accusing, or prosecuting those responsible
Justice is first having the truth made public. Then all individuals and entities responsible must be legally held accountable, at every level of involvement. From the import of the military-grade ammonium nitrate to the circumstances leading to the explosion, accountability must address every omission and every action throughout the entire chain of events.
You are one of the plaintiffs of the lawsuit filed by families of the blast in Texas in 2022. Why have you decided to go through the American justice system, what is the significance of this case, and what are you aiming to achieve through this?
We believe that the strategy of opening new fronts by pursuing legal actions across multiple jurisdictions beyond Lebanon is important, as it circumvents domestic obstacles to justice and broadens the scope of investigations and improves mechanisms for accountability. There is also a hope that these cases will help us further uncover the truth and access information, which could be used to open other cases in other jurisdictions. One of those lawsuits filed is the one in Austin, Texas, which involves victims that were US citizens or held green cards.
Nine victims and relatives of victims have filed a $250 million civil lawsuit in Austin against TGS, a US-Norwegian geophysical services group which acquired the company Spectrum Geo that chartered the Rhosus ship that carried the 2,750 tons of military-grade ammonium nitrate to the Beirut Port. As TGS acquired Spectrum, it should be responsible for its liabilities.
The Rhosus, which was an unseaworthy ship, arrived at the Beirut Port already carrying a full load. Spectrum chartered the vessel to pick up extra 160 tons of seismic equipment destined for Jordan though it was already at capacity, and missing the ramps needed to carry such a load, which raises questions surrounding this shipment and the catastrophic events that followed.
This case points at a larger network of those who may be involved in the blast, and a judicial ruling in the case could support other legal proceedings that would ultimately help uncover the truth.
Primarily, if the company holds any degree of responsibility, as we believe it does, it must be held fully accountable under the law. And given the extent of political interference in Lebanon, the goal with this lawsuit was to pursue multiple avenues abroad to ensure access to justice.
In your view, what kind of efforts could help the families of victims of the Beirut blast? How can people support your cause?
People can support the victims by raising awareness and demanding accountability either through advocacy, peaceful demonstrations, or open conversations. Recognizing this tragedy as a national catastrophe is key. Collective efforts will not only pressure authorities but can also offer support to those affected and foster a space for healing.
On another level, we expect the investigative judge to issue an indictment soon, but the journey is far from over. We still have the court proceedings before the judicial council afterwards. Therefore, efforts toward transparency and persistence must be encouraged. We should all push for investigations and court proceedings to be free from political interference, ensure that judges handling the case can work impartially, and guarantee their protection throughout the process.
Lebanon must put an end to the culture of impunity. Accountability is the only path toward a better future, one where people can regain trust in a country capable of surviving, healing, and thriving.
How have the victims’ families been organizing since the blast and what are you pushing for?
Since the blast, many of the families have come together to form groups united in the fight for justice. Within this broader movement, there are several subgroups such as the families of the firefighters, the August 4 Victims Association, and the August 4 Collective, but all of them work in full solidarity. Their efforts are well-structured, allowing for more efficient decision-making and execution.
As for the legal proceedings, they have been handled primarily in Lebanon by the Beirut Bar Association and the prosecution office working under its auspices. This structure has allowed for coordinated legal action. In addition, legal proceedings in Europe and the United States were initiated by victims holding foreign passports.
As for advocacy, there was a time when a fact-finding mission seemed like the most interesting path forward, and significant efforts were made in this regard. Many entities pushed for it, but unfortunately, at this stage, a fact-finding mission no longer appears to be a realistic option.
The damaged and partially collapsed silos are a reminder of what was done to us and the city, and the attempts to demolish them are attempts to erase and silence that memory
I believe the families are united around a dual purpose and are working to achieve it: accountability and remembrance. We are all striving for accountability, and in this pursuit, we remain vigilant, ready to prevent anything or anyone from obstructing, delaying, or derailing the path to justice. That means ensuring freedom, transparency, and independence for the judges handling this case, and above all protecting them. We are also keeping alert to any decisions that would undermine the process whether through political maneuvers, delaying the lifting of immunities, blocking notifications, or any other tactic meant to stall justice.
On the other hand, when it comes to remembrance, we need to preserve collective memory to honor the victims and ensure that the lessons learnt prevent such a catastrophe from happening again. In this context, it is essential to preserve the silos at the Beirut Port which were severely damaged during and after the blast, but acted as a buffer, shielding some neighborhoods from the explosion. The damaged and partially collapsed silos are a reminder of what was done to us and the city, and the attempts to demolish them are attempts to erase and silence that memory. Victims’ families are working hard for the silos to remain standing and to turn them into a memorial instead. Numerous meetings have been held, and specialists have agreed that they can be preserved, while modernizing the space for a functional use. Yesterday’s announcement by the minister of culture to add the silos to the nation’s list of historic monuments, in response to the blast victims’ families, is a step in the right direction.