Security Sources Snap Back at Decision Preventing Access to Telecom Data

Security sources have slammed a decision by a judicial authority to prevent the Internal Security Forces from accessing telecommunications records, saying the security of the people was more important than their privacy.

“What’s more important? The security of the people or their privacy?” the sources wondered in remarks to An Nahar daily published Thursday.

The dispute on the telecom data came back to the forefront of discussions after the assassination attempt on Lebanese Forces chief Samir Geagea on April 4.

A three-member independent judicial authority refused the request of the ISF to provide it with the complete telecom records between January 16 and April 10 to investigate Geagea’s attempted murder.

It justified its decision to the infringement on people’s liberties.

The security sources also accused Telecommunications Minister Nicolas Sehnaoui of providing security agencies with all the data until January 15.

“Where was the privacy before that date?” they quipped.

The sources said that the legislative and consultative body at the justice ministry stressed in 2009 that tracing mobile communications has nothing to do with wiretapping and is not subject to law 140 on the secrecy of telephone calls.

Meanwhile, An Nahar said that Interior Minister Marwan Charbel will ask the cabinet to provide the wiretapping command center based in his ministry with the necessary equipment to control mobile and landline phone calls as part of its mission.

Such a move would allow the center to access the data without any request from the telecom ministry, the daily added.