Journalist Firas Hatoum. (Credit: Facebook photo)
Al-Jadeed investigative journalist Firas Hatoum, who had been summoned for questioning by the criminal police on Tuesday, failed to appear for the interrogation, which was scheduled for Thursday. He was to be heard on the basis of a complaint lodged by Serta, a company specialized in information and communication technologies, following an investigation he carried out last October entitled “Incursion through pagers.”
In this investigation, the journalist wondered whether the company in question was involved in the transmission devices used by Hezbollah members, which exploded on Sept. 17 and 18 after a large-scale Israeli hacking operation, killing many and severely injuring thousands of victims.
In a 12-minute video, Hatoum claimed that the Tetra network, a digital radio communications system supplied to the Lebanese government in 2008 “thanks to aid from the United States,” had obtained a contract to be installed for the benefit of the Internal Security Forces (ISF). This contract, he said, was secured through Serta, the network’s representative in Lebanon.
The journalist mentioned that the army had also benefited from this system in 2013. He pointed to Hicham Itani, owner of Serta and son of former Future Movement MP Mohammad Itani, suggesting that a “deal” had been struck between Gebran Bassil, leader of the Free Patriotic Movement (FPM), and the chief of staff of former Prime Minister Saad Hariri. According to Hatoum, this deal was linked to the “presidential arrangement” that led to Michel Aoun's election as president in 2016.
L’Orient Today tried to contact Itani but was unable to reach him.
‘The loophole’
In his report, Hatoum considered that the communication network’s installation could not have been carried out “without Hezbollah's knowledge or approval.” For the journalist, the installation contract represents “the loophole” through which “the Israeli Mossad may have infiltrated the network.”
Interviewed by L’Orient Today, Hatoum said that he had formulated his questions in an attempt to “understand how such an attack could have occurred.” “The Serta company, which is in charge of everything related to digital equipment, should be investigated,” he added.
When contacted by L'Orient Today for further details on Hatoum’s case, his lawyer, Farouk Moghrabi, explained that his approach was currently focused on the “form,” specifically on the police’s “lack of authority” to question Hatoum. “Firas Hatoum did not appear before the criminal police on Thursday because the law stipulates that a security service cannot question a journalist.”
According to a source close to the case, Hatoum was invited Thursday to appear next Wednesday before the Cassation Prosecutor's Office, where he is set to be heard by Attorney General Myrna Kallas. He could agree to appear before the judge, added the source, noting that if he does, it would signify his acceptance of “a middle ground” between a security service and the Publications Court.
This article was translated from L'Orient-Le Jour.
