A senior Syrian journalist reports Iraq’s WMD located in three Syrian sites. (Debka's latest)

Debka ^ | 5 Jan 03

[rotstan]

A senior Syrian journalist reports Iraq’s WMD located in three Syrian sites.

Nizar Najoef, a Syrian journalist who recently defected from Syria to Western Europe and is known for bravely challenging the Syrian regime, said in a letter Monday, January 5, to Dutch newspaper “Di Telegraaf,” that he knows the three sites where Iraq’s WMD are kept. The storage places are:

1. Tunnels dug under the town of al-Baida near the city of Hama in northern Syria. These tunnels are an integral part of an underground factory, built by the North Koreans, for producing Syrian Scud missiles. Iraqi chemical weapons and long-range missiles are stored in these tunnels.

2. The village of Tal Snan, north of the town of Salamija, where there is a big Syrian airforce camp. Vital parts of Iraq’s WMD are stored there.

3. The city of Sjinsjar on the Syrian border with the Lebanon, south of the city Homs.

Najoef writes that the transfer of Iraqi WMD to Syria was organized by the commanders of Saddam Hussein’s Special Republican Guard, including General Shalish, with the help of Assif Shoakat , Bashar Assad’s cousin. Shoakat is the CEO of Bhaha, an import/export company owned by the Assad family.

In February 2003, a month before America’s invasion in Iraq, DEBKAfile and DEBKA-Net-Weekly were the only media to report the movement of Iraqi WMD, the efforts to bring them from Iraq to Syria, and the personal involvement of Bashar Assad and his family in the operation.

Najoef, who has won prizes for journalistic integrity, says he wrote his letter because he has terminal cancer.

[rotstan]

I'm somewhat surprised that there haven't been any unfortunate accidents leading to large explosions there yet.

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[oceanview]

after the 2004 election, Syria will be dealt with (assuming Dean does not win of course).

[rhombus]

Well now they'll be moved.

[BlackbirdSST]

In February 2003, a month before America’s invasion in Iraq, DEBKAfile and DEBKA-Net-Weekly were the only media to report the movement of Iraqi WMD, the efforts to bring them from Iraq to Syria, and the personal involvement of Bashar Assad and his family in the operation.

Yeah right! The same movement we couldn't catch with SAT's that can read the date on a dime laying in the middle of a football field. Try a dose of reality. Blackbird.

[JohnGalt]

LOL...the WMDead Enders are reduced to tin-foil conspiracy theories from DEBKA.

Give it up, folks.

[the_Watchman]

I did a Google search on "Nizar Najoef" and didn't get ANY hits. Even "Najoef" didn't get anything.

Can anyone propose an alternate spelling?

[OXENinFLA]

Can you say Thermobaric Warhead?

http://www.dtra.mil/td/thermo/td_thermo.html

http://www.dtra.mil/td/thermo/td_thermopics.html (before & after pics)

[RightWhale]

That's kind of specific as to location. Since inspection teams aren't likely to publicly appear in the region anytime soon, DEBKA is probably safe on this one.

[Maringa]

You can bet that if we ever invade or attach Syria, there won't be this "We're going in because we have evidence of WMD". If we do, we better have significantly better witnesses, documents, and photographic evidence. The world demanded we had it before we invaded Iraq. I think this time, the American people will demand it too...

[Shermy]

Here's a/the article from "Telegraaf"

'Vernietigingswapens Irak verstopt in Syrië'

KH, translate???

[2 Kool 2 Be 4-Gotten]

Very likely Primakov and the Russians had a hand in this too. There have been some very good pieces written on this. IIRC, a Russian convoy of cars was hit right around the start of the war, sort of "accidently".

[the_Watchman]

In fact, there is no basis for invading Syria UNLESS WMD can be verified.

The reason, both legal and moral, for invading Iraq WAS NOT the existence of WMD. It WAS the possibility, even the probability of WMD, and the non-compliance of the Iraqi regime in allowing U.N. inspectors unhampered ability to verify.

Therefore, the fact that WMD has not yet been detected in Iraq is a political problem only in the minds of some people.

[CyberAnt]

Hmmmm? I don't usually pay much attention to DEBKA .. but I can confirm the existance of the tunnels in item 1.

Several years ago there was a story in the Jerusalem Post outlining the "tunnels" which were being built around Damascus. I paid attention to this info because I am interested in what is happening in Damascus.

According to the Jerusalem Post, the "tunnels" were being built to house "skud missles" which would be aimed at Israel. Soooo .. this apprears to me that at least the first item is very likely correct.

I don't have a map to check the location to see if these "tunnels" are anywhere near Damascus, but if they were building them in Damascus, the chances they are they were building them elsewhere.

I don't have any info on the other two items.

[JeeperFreeper]

Good post. IMHO, this is entirely plausible. One, Saddam had WMD. We know because he used them. Two, Saddam is a psychopath;once he got WMD, it seems very unlikely he would destroy them. And, if the WMD were destroyed there would have been videos or records to reflect that destruction for public relations, if nothing else. Three, Syria is a Baathist dictatorship with long standing political and financial ties to Saddam. Four, Saddam sent his jets to Iran in "91( Desert Storm), so transferring weapons out of country is not that out of character. Five, Saddam transferred great wealth to Syria as well. Why would he not consider doing the same with his WMD? All in hopes of surviving to rule again. The fly in the ointment is whether Syria would accept them knowing the risks.

[RangerVetNam]

I bet Syria did not consider this to be risky. I don't think Saddam thought we would invade so why would Syria deem it risky. The French and Russians told Saddam they could stop us. Surprise........this President has the guts that Clinton did not have.

[ravingnutter]

I'm somewhat surprised that there haven't been any unfortunate accidents leading to large explosions there yet.

Ummmm...there was an explosion...reported by Debka. And while possibly not WMD [which no one will ever know] it was reportedly due to shipments of arms to Syria from Iraq...

The powerful blast that reverberated across eastern and central Lebanon Sunday, December 29 [2002], was caused by the explosion of a big surface missile in Hizballah hands and of Iraqi origin. Reporting this, DEBKAfile’s exclusive military and Lebanese sources reveal that the Lebanese Shiite terrorist group has recently taken delivery of a shipment of surface missiles, presumed to be medium-range, from the Iraqi army. The blast occurred at a Hizballah training camp near a village called Janta in the northeastern section of the Beqaa Valley close to the Syrian frontier. This camp is also used by the group as a testing ground for new weapons, short range missiles and explosive devices. The blast was heard at a distance of 20 km indicating a warhead of one ton at least.

According to our sources, the missile exploded suddenly, catching the Hizballah team handling it unawares and causing a large number of casualties, as indicated by the long line of ambulances and rescue teams reported by witnesses to be racing to the blast scene from northern and central Lebanon. Among them were Syrian military rescue vehicles. The Hizballah quickly sealed off the ravaged area, allowing no one through but the rescue teams, their own operatives and Syrian officers.

Source

Also reported by Ha‘aretz

[ASA Vet]

SAT's that can read the date on a dime laying in the middle of a football field

;-)

[Diogenesis]

Iraq missiles given to Syria:

---

French missiles given to Iraq
========= IRAQI WEAPONS from France USED Against US and Coalition Heroes ========

French missiles were found by the Poles, and to protect France, blown up.

The pompous froggies said they did not say "2003". Decide for yourself.

[uncbob]

In fact, there is no basis for invading Syria UNLESS WMD can be verified.

And of course without invading we won't be able to verify that so what do you suggest