BEIRUT, Mar 02, 2011 (AFP) - Lebanon's caretaker minister of telecommunications said Wednesday he had ignored a request for information by a UN court probing the murder of ex-premier Rafiq Hariri on legal grounds.
Charbel Nahas told AFP that the Netherlands-based Special Tribunal for Lebanon had sought documents relating to the phone records of Lebanese citizens in the past seven years.
He said he had ignored several requests because they "were contrary to Lebanese law as concerns the secrecy of phone records and immunity given to deputies and presidents".
Nahas would not say whether the STL requests targeted any MPs or head of state.
The STL, set up in the aftermath of Hariri's 2005 assassination, is expected to implicate senior members of the powerful militant group Hezbollah in Hariri's killing.
The Shiite party, which is supported by Iran and Syria, in January toppled the Western-backed government of Saad Hariri -- the slain leader's son -- after he refused to cut ties with the tribunal.
Billionaire business Najib Mikati, who is backed by Hezbollah, was appointed on January 25 to form a new government but he has yet to name his cabinet members amid haggling between rival parties.
Nahas, according to local media, was among four ministers from the outgoing cabinet who have refused to cooperate with the STL.
The other three ministers could not be reached for comment.
Nahas said he had transferred the STL request to the council of ministers, which cannot convene given that it is an outgoing cabinet.
He said Saad Hariri had sent him two letters in recent weeks asking him to cooperate with the court and reminding him of Lebanon's commitment to cooperate with the probe concerning the 2005 assassination.
The STL prosecutor's office had no immediate comment.
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Copyright AFP 2011.
