Lebanese man receives FBI Medal of Honor for saving Obama’s secret file

The French Le Monde newspaper reported on Sunday that a Lebanese restaurant manager in the city of Cannes saved President Barack Obama’s confidential file that was accidentally left during the G20 summit last November.   

The newspaper explained that the manager, a Lebanese national, found a file on which was written “very confidential” on his restaurant’s counter. The file included details on Obama’s participation in the summit.   

Le Monde quoted the manager, Bilal Herche, as saying that the file contained a detailed plan of the 5th floor of the Carlton Hotel, where the American president was supposed to stay during the G20. It also included details of each of his routes, starting with his arrival at the Nice Airport all the way up to his departure, which could have put Obama’s life in danger should the file have fallen in the hands of an irresponsible person.   

The restaurant worker finally found the telephone number for the FBI on the internet. He called and managed to convince the agent on the other side of the Atlantic that he was telling the truth by reading the first page of the binder.   

The young man didn’t even need to give the FBI his address. They had already traced his cell phone and two agents arrived at his restaurant minutes later.    

Herche, for his actions, received the FBI Medal of Honor.