Cabinet to Tackle Shifting ISF Intelligence Bureau to Independent Branch in Next Session

The cabinet postponed on Thursday tackling the controversial issue of changing the Internal Security Forces Intelligence Bureau into an independent branch and the extension of the tenure of the Central Bank Chief Riad Salameh's deputies.

During its first session after Prime Minister Tammam Salam's cabinet gained the parliamentary vote of confidence, which was headed by President Michel Suleiman at the Baabda Palace, the ministers decided to postpone debating the two issues to the upcoming session.

The government will tackle the two controversial issues during it's second session on Monday.

The tenure of the four deputies of the Central Bank Chief ends on March 31.

Local newspapers reported earlier on Thursday that a debate reignited over the controversial issue of changing the Internal Security Forces Intelligence Bureau into an independent branch.

According to An Nahar newspaper former Interior Minister Marwan Charbel had prepared a decree after the assassination of Brigadier General Wissam al-Hasan, chief of the Intelligence Bureau of the ISF in October 2012, to transform the Intelligence Bureau to an independent branch.

However, the sharp political disputes and the resignation of Premier Najib Miqati's cabinet prevented from discussing the matter and endorsing it.

As Safir newspaper reported that several parties had expressed reservation over the matter after Interior Minister Nouhad al-Mashnouq included the matter on Thursday's cabinet agenda.

Sources told the daily that “the matter will not be approved as it requires the amending of article 17 of the ISF bylaws, which discusses the establishment of new branches.”

The sources also pointed out that “the issue requires the a decree issued by the parliament and not the government.”

The ISF Intelligence Bureau is comprised of around 2,200 members and is now headed by Colonel Imad Othman who succeeded al-Hasan.

Sharp debate continuously flared up between the March 8 and 14 coalitions over granting the telecom data to the ISF Intelligence Bureau.