Telecom Data Mechanism to Provide Security Agencies with Specific Data

Justice Minister Shakib Qortbawi stressed on Monday that a telecom data mechanism approved by top officials over the weekend allows the security agencies to benefit from information that can help them in tracking crimes.

“The telecom data would remain controlled by the law and the judicial committee that is tasked to follow up this issue,” Qortbawi told As Safir newspaper.

A meeting that was held at the Baabda Palace on Saturday between President Michel Suleiman, Prime Minister Najib Miqati and the concerned ministers, judges and senior security officials agreed on a new telecom data mechanism to help the security agencies in their investigations.

For his part, Interior Minister Marwan Charbel told the daily that the telecom data mechanism would give the security agencies the required information over each case by itself.

He noted that that the Baabda Palace meeting agreed on providing the security agencies with the IMSI, which is a unique code used to identify an individual user on a GSM network, of the suspected phone numbers even if they were damaged.

The gatherers at the Baabda Palace meeting agreed on holding a second meeting on July 30 to evaluate the adopted mechanism and its effectiveness.

Suleiman also decided to delegate a team to a European country next week to view the modern mechanisms in intercepting phone calls.