Miqati Responds to Aoun: Defense, Interior Ministers May Intercept Phone Calls with PM's Approval
إقرأ هذا الخبر بالعربية
Prime Minister Najib Miqati criticized on Tuesday Free Patriotic Movement leader MP Michel Aoun's remarks on the telecommunications data dispute, saying that rules exist that specify how to handle this issue.
He said in a statement: “Article 9 of article 140 of the wiretapping law stipulates that each of the defense and interior ministers could be granted the right to intercept phone calls through written consent and the prime minister's approval in order to garner information aimed at combating terrorism and crimes against the state.”
This right was asserted by a delegation that visited France in August 2012, it added.
The delegation traveled to France to inquire about laws that tackle telecom data.
The delegation’s report stipulated that the prime minister has the final say over whether the data can be handed over to the sides that have requested it, stressed the statement.
“We do not want to enter an argument with any side, but we will suffice by saying that we are responsible for committing to defending the truth, especially if this person is the prime minister, whose jurisdiction is clear and not up to debate,” it noted.
“Given the current situation, each official is required to contribute to the implementation of article 9 in a manner that would help the armed forces and Internal Security Forces combat terrorism and organized crime,” said the statement.
Aoun had rejected on Tuesday a request by security agencies to be handed telecom data, saying that it is unconstitutional and suggesting that article 9 be amended for this demand to be met.
Telecommunications Minister Nicolas Sehnaoui also rejected the agencies' demands while Miqati insisted that the work of those agencies shouldn't be disrupted.
“Ministers have to implement decisions before objecting, we can't obstruct the work of the security agencies,” Miqati said in comments published in An Nahar newspaper Tuesday.
The premier referred to Sehanoui on Monday a decision to hand over to security agencies the necessary telecom data according to article 140 of the wiretapping law, which specifies the protection of communication data.
Sehanoui had rejected the request made by Internal Security Forces chief Maj. Gen. Ashraf Rifi and Army Commander General Jean Qahwaji, arguing that the Telecommunications Regulatory Authority didn't approve it.
12 February 2013, 18:58
611
Did not even know Najib Miqati was still around. But for a change...nice move/comment!
12 February 2013, 19:09
511
What a bazar. When Aoun does like a law he asks his ministers not to apply it. Yet there is a legislative body who is responsible of voting law. There is a consultative body that is responsible of saying wether the law is constitutional or not. Aoun by asking his ministers not to apply the law means that his ministers are acting outside the law of this country. He should behave within the law and rules and regulations of this country. If he think the law is unconstitutional then as an MP he has the power to challenge this law and request an amendment.
But Aoun and his ministers are behaving as outlaws weakening the rule of the state as they have to bow to Hizbullah demand. It is ok for Hizbullah to have a telecommunication network outside the control of this state, but it is forbidden for the state security institutions to protect the Lebanese citizens.
12 February 2013, 19:31
00
Nah my follow Shiite brother pretending to be Christian, the president is a Maronite and we are opposed to the return of al Marouniyyat al siyassiya in any form, Sayyed Hassan said so, time to make what we have now official Sayyed Hassan for supreme leader*.
*of course he will still be a lowly soldier in the army of the Fakih taking orders from the Supreme supreme leader.
12 February 2013, 19:39
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I am curious to see who this telecom data evidence will implicate. Then we can see the motives behind stopping it. It's a fine line between infringing on people's rights and putting away killers. I think reasonable suspicion based on evidence along with a warrant by judge after reviewing the evidence should suffice. It’s pretty much how they do it in every free country.
12 February 2013, 19:49
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Oh not again....the_Bore! Talking trash as usual. Suck on your thumb and be quiet!
12 February 2013, 22:42
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@ bigsami
It is not often that our opinions diverge and even rarer that the @ the_roar makes a worthy point but in this case @the_roar fixation on - and hatred of - everything Sunni not withstanding, the president's losses at Taef are real. That said, let me hasten to add that this does not mean that the Christians pre-Taef acted in a just and appropriate manner towards their Moslem compatriots especially the Sunnis.
On top of that one must not forget the wholesale disenfranchisement of the Shiites by other Lebanese (Christians - with the possible exception of the Greek Orthodox - and Sunnis).
Now comes the hard part, though Sunni Prime Ministership gained some of the president's powers via Taef at the expense the Christian's Presidency, finding a true modus vivandi is not simple. The Troika of the recent past proved disastrous. So my question to @the_roar is instead of simply throwing issues in our face, how about proposing some realistic alternative solutions instead?
12 February 2013, 23:43
22
Well stated lebnanfirst...nice approach! Wish I had the patience with these conditioned knuckleheads!
12 February 2013, 20:35
01
funny how mr aoun would want to hide and prevent evidence of potential assassination culprits. i wonder if he fears anything...
13 February 2013, 06:36
01
FT, I am surprised man. I stopped calling you BS thrower awhile ago because I respected our different opinions, but come on. Some of us can atleast acknowledge when other sides made a point. In Lebanon, we pick the lesser of the worse, not the best of the best.
What is Aoun trying to hide here. Lebanon is one of the only countries in the world in which the judiciary can't access wiretaps for national security. In every stable country, this is their primary source of defence. What do you propose other than to tow the FPM line?
13 February 2013, 07:50
01
Josh your history facts are wrong. Actually the Sunnis in Lebanon and Syria were backing Faycal of Arabia. Faycal had a deal with the British foreign office while Al Seoud stroked a deal with the British authorities in India. Faycal was weakened by the French in Syria, and Al Seoud supported by the British fought Faycal and kicked him out of Arabia. In compensation, the British gave Faycal's sons Irak and Jordan and both proved to be moderate "Sunni" rulers.
13 February 2013, 08:23
01
The real issu with Sunnis, is that some FPM Christians in Lebanon cannot accept the idea that they should live en bonne intelligence sharing the responsibilities and power with them. They have a nightmare since Rafik Hariri who was a moderate sunni and a true lebanese. But FPM christians do not see this. They only see that Rafik was a Sunni and not a Christian. Yet he worked for all the Lebanese and brought prosperity for all.
To counter the Sunnis FPM Christians are happy making an alliance with the evil i.e. an armed shiite islamic revolution militia. They meet on one same goal: weakening the Sunnis. Yet the Hizbullah agenda is not Lebanese but based on the Syrian/Iran axis. With their hatred to the Sunnis, FPM Christians are taking the country to the abyss.
