Miqati Responds to Aoun: Defense, Interior Ministers May Intercept Phone Calls with PM's Approval
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.
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