Progressive Socialist Party leader Walid Jumblat supported the demand of the March 14 coalition for the government to provide the so-called telecom data to security agencies to prevent future plots against Lebanese politicians.

In remarks to As Safir daily published Friday, Jumblat justified the opposition’s demand to hand over all telecom data including the International Mobile Subscriber Identity (IMSI) to security bodies by saying “they have witnessed assassination attempts and the involved (telecom) minister (Nicolas Sehnaoui) is obstructing the data.”

The March 14 opposition is set to take an “important” stance from the national dialogue that is set to be held at Baabda Palace next Wednesday, its third session since it resumed last month following a 19-month standstill, An Nahar daily reported.

The sources told the newspaper on Wednesday that the alliance can’t ignore the assassination attempts against Lebanese Forces leader Samir Geagea and MP Butros Harb, and reports about plots on other March 14 personalities.

Phalange Party leader Amin Gemayel on Tuesday warned against any attempt to fragment the army or divide the Lebanese into supporters and opponents of the military institution, stressing that “what’s important is keeping the army away from these negative stances which do not serve the national interest.”

Speaking to reporters after a two-hour meeting in Maarab with Lebanese Forces leader Samir Geagea, Gemayel said: “We warn against this dangerous game that will fire back at its perpetrators and we have full confidence in the army which is shouldering its responsibilities during this period.”

Lebanese Forces leader Samir Geagea highlighted on Friday the importance of the Koura by-election set for Sunday, saying that “it is not a by-election, but a crucial battle due to the importance of its results and their repercussions” on Lebanon.

He said: “The by-election will mark the beginning of the other camp’s rule.”

Free Patriotic Movement leader Michel Aoun expressed his keenness to the legacy of Lebanese philosopher and diplomat Charles Malek, a day after Lebanese Forces chief Samir Geagea accused the March 8 majority of seeking to transform the district of Koura where Malek was born into the territory of Syrian President Bashar Assad.

“Charles Malek was of course a personality with influence in Koura’s history,” Aoun said. “But history has had different symbols at different stages.”

Al-Mustaqbal parliamentary bloc leader Fouad Saniora and Lebanese Forces chief Samir Geagea coordinated their future stances following the assassination attempts against several March 14 alliance officials, An Nahar daily reported on Friday.

The newspaper said that Saniora and Geagea held a several hour meeting on the latest developments after the boycott of Christian blocs of a parliamentary session to protest the adoption of a draft-law on the employment of Electricite du Liban’s contract workers.

Lebanese Forces leader Samir Geagea stressed on Thursday the political significance of Sunday’s Koura by-election, urging voters to “listen to their conscience.”

He said before an LF delegation: “We are waging the battle to win it due to its political and humanitarian importance.”

Prime Minister Najib Miqati shrugged off the criticism of the March 14 opposition coalition on the so-called telecom data, saying security apparatuses were satisfied with the data that were being handed over.

In remarks to An Nahar daily published Thursday, Miqati said: “There isn’t any negligence and the security bodies are satisfied with the level of information that they are getting.”

The March 14 General Secretariat slammed on Wednesday the government’s competency, renewing its demand for its resignation.

It said in a statement after its weekly meeting: “The frequent protests and sit-ins are a sign of the government’s inability to tackle the people’s concerns.”

Lebanese Forces leader Samir Geagea said Wednesday he enjoys freedom of expression despite being imprisoned in his residence in Maarab over fears that he could be the target of another assassination attempt.

In an interview with al-Joumhouria daily, Geagea said: “We are not in a prison. We have a free opinion that we could express wherever we are.”