Report: Court Can’t Summon Kfouri for Testimony in Samaha Case
إقرأ هذا الخبر بالعربية
The key witness in the case of ex-Minister Michel Samaha, Milad Kfouri, can’t be summoned by the judge to give his testimony, security sources said on Wednesday.
“The witness is under the Internal Security Forces protection, that vowed to safeguard him along with his family,” the source said in comments published in An Nahar newspaper.
It noted that the ISF is committed to the matter under the article 226 of ISF by-laws, which state that the informant’s “identity will not be revealed to any reference or authority unless” told otherwise.
Media reports said that Kfouri, who has used several aliases, was allegedly behind reporting Samaha to the ISF Intelligence Branch.
The source said that ISF helped the family of Kfouri travel abroad before detaining Samaha last week. He then followed them.
It denied that the cost of the travel was paid by the ISF Intelligence Branch, and ruled out reports that ISF provided them with more than $100,000.
“The ISF is only committed to providing the informant and his family a monthly payment between $5,000 and $10,000,” the source said.
Samaha will appear in court again before Military Examining Magistrate Judge Riad Abu Ghida on Thursday in the presence of one of his lawyers Youssef Finianos or Malek al-Sayyed.
He was arrested on Thursday and has reportedly confessed to plotting bombings in the North at the behest of Syria’s security chief Maj. Gen. Ali Mamlouk; however, he denied his statements later on Monday.
Government deputy Commissioner to the Military Court Judge Sami Sader on Saturday charged Samaha and Mamlouk with forming a group to commit crimes in Lebanon. The two were also charged with plotting to assassinate political and religious figures.
Media leaks had said that Samaha was working at Syrian orders to prepare explosives to be used in attacks in northern Lebanon.
15 August 2012, 10:55
01
Hey FlameThrower, you're damn right! For 10000$ a month I can give a lot of info and enjoy the ISF protection. What a mess, and when are we going to have a real state with modern laws that protect all citizens alike???
15 August 2012, 11:13
19
Well done give the guy the protection he needs ,paying $10000 a month is better than getting people killed or start a civil war to please Assad and his dogs,god bless Kfouri he is a brave man for helping to put a scum like Samaha Assad behind bars..
15 August 2012, 11:17
34
Harrier , why an idiot ?
normally if someone is under witness protection, his location is not ever disclosed. but he is taken to court only to testify. so if the court has summoned him, shouldnt he be taken to give his testimony?
is that right ? or different procedures in different circumstances?
15 August 2012, 12:58
16
he cannot come to court because he cannot risk his life neither his family's one. It is a very very dangerous situation. He can do it by skype :)
15 August 2012, 19:21
10
I hope he is allowed to testify via video feed from a remote and secure location. I am not familiar with Lebanese courtroom procedures but typically witnesses are not required to be present in court until the actual trial begins.
15 August 2012, 22:21
20
They want him big time dead. The man is a hero, he managed to catch a big fish, let's hope bureaucracy and assassinations won't abort his good work, the work if a genuine patriot.
15 August 2012, 13:39
04
have you ever seen a riot where the detained for murder attacked the judge and broke shit in the court? i have. if you think a courthouse in lebanon is safe, think again. also, beddak yousal 3al court :)
15 August 2012, 14:14
00
Of course he Fabrikantes will never be brought to justice a-la-Mafia Hariri, and especially the new Fabrikante Muhammad Zuheir al Kfoury.
15 August 2012, 14:28
32
FlameThrower but you are an INFORMANT.....For Iran and Syria
Long Live The Syrian Civil War
15 August 2012, 14:31
32
look at all the Pro-Syrians running around like Headless chickens wanting to know where Milad Kfouri is so they can blow him up....the rest of the lebanese people dont need Milad Kfouri to tell us who is behind all the killings in Lebanon.All you pro-syrians and pro-iranians and the lowest of scum palestinians.....Long Live The Syrian Civil War
15 August 2012, 15:38
32
M8 followers are selectively blind and deaf...they are a lost cause...
15 August 2012, 15:59
00
The ISF is committed to the matter under the article 226 of ISF by-laws, which state that the informant’s “identity will not be revealed to any reference or authority unless" told otherwise.
Come again ?! His identity was already revealed due to ur lack of competence. An informant always remains anonymous and his testimony can be given anonymously yet for some reason the ISF decided to leak his name to the media. BRAVO ISF you give a whole new meaning to word 'idiocracy'.
15 August 2012, 17:57
22
The ISF under leadership of Wissam al-Hassan is simply a forger's workshop. Only idiots believe in Rifi and al-Hassan.
15 August 2012, 18:12
00
The ISF is committed to the matter under the article 226 of ISF by-laws, which state that the informant’s “identity will not be revealed to any reference or authority unless" told otherwise.
Come again ?! His identity was already revealed due to ur lack of competence. An informant always remains anonymous and his testimony can be given anonymously yet for some reason the ISF decided to leak his name to the media. BRAVO ISF you give a whole new meaning to word 'idiocracy'.
16 August 2012, 00:41
00
Naharnet why do you censor my comments while you keep all the sectarian hatred driven comments ??
What a joke of a news outlet.
