Syrian Source: MTV Involved in Installation of “Israeli” Espionage Devices

Syrian "Al Hakika" online website reported that in the behind the scenes in the Lebanese Security Apparatuses, there are talks about the involvement of the Lebanese Channel MTV owned by Gabriel Murr (Uncle of Defense Minister Michel Elias Murr) in helping the "Israelis" in installing the espionage devices in the two stations where directly or through agents. 

The source "Al Hakika" linked in its report between the incident and a previous involvement in a similar espionage act in the same region that was exposed last year.

In April 2009, a transmission tower that belonged to M TV station in the Barouk mountains had equipment intended for receiving Internet packages owned by the Internet supplier HOT SPOT, and also provided crucial governmental administrations with Internet service, such as the presidential palace's website and the military intelligence department. "Israeli"-made equipment was found at the station, as well as a satellite directed southward, said to receive illegal Internet from "Israel", meaning "Israel" was able to spy on Internet traffic of the sites using the service.

"On April 4th, the communication ministry and the Lebanese army were "dismantling a transmitting station mounted on a pole belonging to the private TV station MTV" owned by the March 14th member Gabriel Murr, "when they noticed 2 strange things: first, the satellites were directed southwards, from a point providing a direct wireless view to Israel through a microwave device. Secondly, the station included foreign-made highly developed equipment unfamiliar in the Lebanese market."

The telecommunications ministry issued a statement confirming that "confiscated equipment from the Barouk station was put in service on November 8th, 2006, and installed on a TV broadcasting pole. The serial numbers and commercial brands were erased, in an attempt to hide their origin."