Bellemare’s Requests Included Names of Electric Meter Owners, Copies of Telecommunications Data
Special Tribunal for Lebanon Prosecutor Daniel Bellemare’s requests from the ministries of interior, public works, telecommunications, and energy have become the center of attention of the concerned sides, as it was revealed that he had also requested official copies of telecommunications data from the Alfa and MTC mobile phone providers, as well as the fingerprints of Lebanese individuals and information on electric meter owners.
Ministerial sources in the caretaker government told the daily An Nahar in remarks published on Friday that these requests are being studied under legal experts, adding that the Ministry of Justice contacted the prosecutor to determine the consequences of the ministries’ refusal to cooperate with him.
Caretaker Interior Minister Ziad Baroud’s sources informed the daily that he was unable to fulfill the request of providing the fingerprints of all the Lebanese, but that he was able to reach an agreement with the international investigators to hand them the prints of about a 1,000 individuals.
The sources stated that this was one request of 20 received by the ministry from Bellemare’s office all of which are connected to the internal security forces, civil defense, and traffic stations.
They stressed that all of these demands have been fulfilled except for two that are being studied, prompting them to question the debate over Baroud’s lack of compliance with Bellemare.
For his part, caretaker Minister of Transportation and Public Works Ghazi Aridi revealed that he had received a request from the international investigation to meet with the director of Land and Maritime Transport, which he had approved “immediately.”
Later after examining the request, he said that he sensed a contradiction in it, noting that it seemed like an interrogation of the General Directorate of Land and Maritime Transport, reported An Nahar.
“When a new request was made in the matter, I did not respond,” he said.
Meanwhile, Prime Minister-designate Najib Miqati revealed to al-Manar television that he had received information that some international sides are seeking to issue an international resolution under Chapter 7 of the U.N. Charter over how to deal with Bellemare’s recent requests.
Miqati questioned such demands, pointing out that the indictment in the investigation into the assassination of former Prime Minister Rafik Hariri has been prepared, meaning that the phase of investigation and requests is over.
The prosecutor’s requests were also addressed during meetings between U.N. Special Coordinator for Lebanon Michael Williams with President Michel Suleiman and caretaker Energy Minister Jebran Bassil on Thursday.
Informed sources told the pan-Arab daily al-Hayat in remarks published on Friday that Williams’ meeting with Bassil was scheduled before the uproar caused by Bellemare’s demands, revealing that the STL had requested information related to electric meters owned by a number of individuals and information about these people.
The U.N. official is scheduled to meet with Baroud later on Friday at the minister’s request.
The sources said that the cooperation protocol signed between Lebanon and the STL means that the tribunal does not need the government’s approval over its requests, noting that in the past, Lebanon and the STL cooperated without referring to the government.
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