Naharnet

Nahhas Says State Emerged Victorious as he Reportedly Hands over Telecom Data to ISF

Caretaker Telecommunications Minister Charbel Nahhas refused to describe a decision for the Lebanese army to take control of a telecom building in Beirut’s Adliyeh area as a settlement.

“What happened is a victory of the logic of the state and the law and not (a victory) of a person or a party,” Nahhas told As Safir daily in remarks published Saturday.

The army took control of the second floor of the facility on Friday a day after the Internal Security Forces stopped Nahhas from dismantling a GSM network on that floor.

“Claims by some (people) that a settlement was reached or conditions were imposed are not true,” the minister said. “Things have returned back to normal.”

Meanwhile, An Nahar daily said Saturday that Nahhas has handed over telecom data to ISF’s Information Branch which had made the request since April 25.

According to ISF chief Maj. Gen. Ashraf Rifi, Nahhas was withholding the data needed for the investigation into the kidnapping of seven Estonian tourists in the Bekaa valley in March.

Rifi told An Nahar that after the bombing that targeted a UNIFIL patrol in the south on Friday, the data issue has become more pressing.


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