British shells and the Beirut blast
How public company records helped connect an international story to British corporate structures.
After the Beirut port explosion, Graham Barrow and Ray Blake examined the corporate structures associated with the ship’s cargo. Public beneficial-ownership records and company filings provided routes into an otherwise opaque network.
Their podcast and Graham’s accompanying article set out the research. Open Ownership subsequently featured the work in a case study showing how public registers can support investigations.
The connections described in the sources are not, by themselves, proof of wrongdoing. The original publications explain the evidence, its limitations and the distinctions between documented facts and inference.
Questions to follow
- How can a public register provide a route into an international investigation?
- What is the difference between a documented connection and a conclusion about wrongdoing?
- How do the podcast, accompanying article and independent case study fit together?
This introduction connects publicly available sources. Read the original publications for the full evidence and context.