Abou Faour, Ogero Chief Clash as Telecom Committee Relies on Judiciary in Internet Scandal

A parliamentary committee that witnessed a slight clash between Health Minister Wael Abou Faour and OGERO Telecom chief Abdul Menhem Youssef over the thorny file of the illegal internet network confirmed reports that the equipment had entered Lebanon through legal crossings.

MP Hassan Fadlallah, the head of the committee, confirmed that the equipment for the illegitimate internet networks had entered the country through legal crossings but via fake documents.

“The illegal internet file will not be closed,” he said after the committee meeting.

“We insist on finding the influential people who stand behind the issue,” said the lawmaker.

He also stressed that it was up to the judiciary to probe and issue a ruling on the case, saying the committee does not have the power to reveal the identity of the suspects involved in the scandal.

“We are just lawmakers who are tasked with holding others accountable,” he added.

A mild clash was reported during the committee meeting between Abou Faour and the OGERO Telecom chief.

Abou Faour had demanded that Youssef be banned from attending the meetings “because he is a suspect in the case.”

Reports said Youssef was escorted outside the meeting, a claim which was shortly denied by the Ogero chief who said that he voluntarily left.

Earlier on Tuesday, Defense Minister Samir Moqbel had stressed that the internet network used by the Lebanese Army is not infiltrated nor does it have anything to do with the illegal networks that have been uncovered lately.

“The Lebanese army gets its internet services from licensed and legal networks,” said Moqbel to An Nahar daily.

“The army's network is not infiltrated,” he added.

Moqbel pointed out that he “submitted to the State Prosecutor Samir Hammoud and Military Prosecutor Judge Saqr Saqr a report that had been prepared by the army after it concluded the necessary investigations on whether it has links to the illegal network or if its communications system is infiltrated.”

Moqbel stressed that the army is not responsible for the illegal import of the network equipment.

On the other hand, the Defense Minister said that the French President told him during his visit to Lebanon last week that his country will provide Lebanon with an aid for the army worth 15 million euros. The army can purchase the equipment needed.

Telecommunications Minister Butros Harb revealed last month that around four illegal internet stations have been proven to exist in the mountainous terrains of al-Dinnieh, Ayoun al-Siman, Faqra and Zaarour.

Suspects involved in the case and believed to be associated with the state-owned telecommunications company Ogero were arrested on Monday over possible links to the networks.

Early in March, the parliamentary media committee unveiled what it described as a “mafia” that are taking advantage of internet services by installing internet stations that are not subject to the state control.

The owners of these stations are buying international internet bandwidth with nominal cost from Turkey and Cyprus which they are selling back to Lebanese subscribers at reduced prices.

It has been reported that government departments were using the services of illegal internet providers including the Lebanese army.

Reports said that wireless internet towers and technical equipment were placed illegally in some mountainous terrains including Tannourine, al-Dinnieh, Sannine and al-Zaarour.

Smuggled internet services initiate risks namely the possibility of security breach as it lacks the basic control standards exposing Lebanon's security to third parties including Israel.

D.A./G.K.