Report: Youssef Didn’t Hand Over Telecom Building Keys to Qahwaji

Sources close to Caretaker Prime Minister Saad Hariri denied that OGERO Telecom Director General Abdul Monhem Youssef had handed over to Army Chief Gen. Jean Qahwaji the magnetic cards of the controversial second floor of a building affiliated with the telecommunications ministry in Beirut’s Adliyeh area.

The sources told al-Akhbar daily that Qahwaji didn’t request to be delivered the keys during his meeting with Youssef on Wednesday. They noted that the meeting was limited to “exchanging points of view.”

As Safir reported on Thursday that Youssef handed the army leadership the magnetic cards that are used to open the doors of the second floor after the army took responsibility of its security.

Meanwhile, a high-ranking source confirmed to al-Akhbar that caretaker Justice Minister Ibrahim Najjar will not ask the military prosecution to investigate with Internal Security Forces chief Maj. Gen. Ashraf Rifi over the allegations that he didn’t abide by the interior minister’s decision to withdraw his forces from the Adliyeh telecom building.

“Najjar doesn’t believe that Rifi’s actions violated the interior minister’s order,” the sources said.