Harb Says Cabinet Refused to Back President’s Request on Telecom Data
MP Butros Harb revealed on Sunday that President Michel Suleiman was behind the request to hand over the telecom data to the security agencies regarding the assassination attempt against Harb and the other assassinations.
“The cabinet didn’t voice its support to the president’s demand after incorrectly interpreting law 140,” Harb told An Nahar newspaper on Sunday.
The law 140 pertains to wiretapping and was issued in 1999.
According to Harb, the cabinet’s rejection to hand over the IMSI data, which is a unique code used to identify an individual user on a GSM network, is obstructing the investigations.
He expressed surprise regarding the cabinet’s obstruction of the investigation after attaining information on one of the suspects, in the assassination attempt against him, who is prominent Hizbullah official.
Harb escaped an assassination attempt early July, when three people tried to plant a booby trap inside the elevator of the building where his office is located in Sami Solh.
“The cabinet should instead call on the suspect to testify and prove his innocence,” he stated.
He lashed out at the cabinet, saying that if they’re waiting to modify the law 140, which would need at least 6 months, then “we would be giving the offender the chance to commit new crimes.”
Harb criticized Hizbullah on wiretapping the Lebanese “freely” while the state with all its security agencies is deprived from acquiring the telecom data even though it wouldn’t violate the citizens’ privacy.
The Batroun lawmaker expressed deep regret that “some lawmakers in the cabinet who are acting upon their political stance instead of committing to the law,” he added.
According to various media reports, Mahmoud Hayek, is the main suspect in the attempt on Harb’s life, but he refused to appear before the investigative bodies because he is a member of Hizbullah’s security apparatus.
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