Saniora Hails Decision to Provide Security Agencies with Telecom Data

Al-Mustaqbal bloc leader Fouad Saniora hailed the cabinet’s decision to hand over the telecom data to the security agencies, stressing the importance of continuing this matter automatically without any obstacles.

“Abstaining from providing the security agencies with the telecom data resembles to participating or facilitating the assassination attempts carried out by the culprits,” Saniora told reporters at his office in Sidon.

He noted that previous cases proved the importance of the telecommunication data and how it helped the security agencies in exposing those who are behind the assassination attempts.

Concerning the national dialogue table, Saniora said that the only way to resolve the disputes between the Lebanese is through communication.

The March 14 alliance has tied its participation in the national dialogue to the government’s approval to hand over the telecom data, including International Mobile Subscriber Identity (IMSI), to security agencies investigating the attempted assassinations of Harb and Lebanese Forces chief Samir Geagea.

The reported delivery of the data and the IMSI to the police would remove the major stumbling block preventing the coalition from participating in the all-party talks, the sources said.

However, al-Mustaqbal bloc head said that the main reason behind the national dialogue was to tackle the illegal arms.

“When we heard some officials saying that they refuse to discuss the defense strategy and the arms of Hizbullah we were surprised, thus we decided to suspend our participation,” Saniora said.

He noted that the March 14 allies will tackle the possibility of attending the upcoming national dialogue session on August 16 is pending the contacts with President Michel Suleiman.

Suleiman vowed during the presidential Iftar on Wednesday to restart his contacts to guarantee the resumption of the all-party talks on August 16.

Asked about the sit-in held by Salafist cleric Sheikh Ahmed al-Asir in Sidon, Saniora said that the situation will have negative repercussions, slamming the road blockage in the southern coastal city.

“The residents of Sidon are united and believe the protests held by Asir harm them,” he added.

Saniora urged al-Asir and his supporters to reconsider their endeavors and end the sit-in.

“There are several other ways in which al-Asir can express hi opinion in a more effective way to achieve his goals,” he stated.

Dozens of businesses have suffered financially from the sit-in, which the Salafist cleric has said would be open ended until his demands to find a solution to Hizbullah’s arsenal are met.

On Friday, angry protestors blocked Sidon’s al-Murjan roundabout with burning tires to reject the sit-in launched by al-Asir.

Al-Asir also marched with his supporters towards the seaside corniche but returned to the sit-in site after security forces prevented them from reaching the area following a decision by the Sub-Security Council of the South.