Top Military Prosecutor Files Charges against ISF Information Branch

An unprecedented judicial-security “challenge” emerged when Lebanon's top military prosecutor, Judge Peter Germanos filed charges against the Information Branch of the Internal Security Forces, accusing it of "disobeying his orders, distorting investigations, and holding suspects beyond the legal detention period," Asharq al-Awsat reported on Tuesday.

This confrontation conceals a “silent war between the political authorities. Germanos is considered an ally of President Michel Aoun’s team, while the ISF Information Division is allied to al-Mustaqbal Movement led by PM Saad Hariri,” said the daily.

The move of Germanos “shocked the political, judicial and security circles,” said the daily. He accused the ISF Information Branch of "disobeying his orders, leaking and altering information and facts, detention of suspects beyond their legal detention period."

He referred the case to Military Judge Fadi Sawan for investigation.

Germanos said his move is part of the ongoing fight against corruption, he told the daily: “This is a battle of jurisdictions to prove that we live under the rule of law or the rule of security. All the security services are under my authority and control, starting from the military intelligence,the military police, the Information Branch of the ISF, the Investigation Branch of the General Security, the State Security and the Customs.”

Although the security forces refrained from making any comment on Germanos’ remarks, a security source who spoke on condition of anonymity told the daily that “officers and members of the Information Branch should be rewarded for their achievements instead of prosecuting them and distorting their role.”

These developments are a “natural result of the dispute between some judges over powers in the files of corruption,” said the daily.

A well-informed source said “the battle that Germanos began against the Information Branch is part of his battle with some judges.”

“Germanos has asked the Branch to close investigations with suspect (Joe.Aa) and to refer his case to the army Intelligence. But his request was not met because the suspect was arrested by order of Mount Lebanon Prosecutor Judge Ghada Aoun," sources said.

"J.A was arrested for issuing checks without credit and falsification of judicial files. This person has no file before the military judiciary,” they added.

As part of an ISF crackdown from within on bribery and abuse of power, several ISF officers, policemen and State Security agents have been interrogated and detained in recent weeks.