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How a massive bomb came together in Beirut's port

By Ben Hubbard, Maria Abi-Habib, Mona El-Naggar, Allison McCann, James Glanz, Anjali Singhvi and Jeremy White
New York Times·
16 mins to read
How a massive bomb came together in Beirut's port
Destroyed buildings are visible a day after a massive explosion occurred at the port in Beirut, Lebanon. Photo / Getty Images

Fifteen tons of fireworks. Jugs of kerosene and acid. Thousands of tons of ammonium nitrate. A system of corruption and bribes let the perfect bomb sit for years.

Late last year, a new security officer at the port of Beirut stumbled upon a broken door and a hole in the

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