Report: Syria hiding Iraqi WMD

WorldNetDaily.com ^ | Tuesday, January 6, 2004

[JohnHuang2]

OPERATION IRAQI FREEDOM
Report: Syria hiding Iraqi WMD
Sources say relative of President Assad smuggled arms to 3 places

---

Posted: January 6, 2004
1:00 a.m. Eastern

© 2004 WorldNetDaily.com

A relative of Syrian President Bashar Assad is hiding Iraqi weapons of mass destruction in three locations in Syria, according to intelligence sources cited by an exiled opposition party.

The weapons were smuggled in large wooden crates and barrels by Zu Alhema al-Shaleesh, known for moving arms into Iraq in violation of U.N. resolutions and for sending recruits to fight coalition forces, said the U.S.-based Reform Party of Syria.

The party, based in Potomac, Md., regards itself as a secular body comprised of Syrians who want to see the country embrace "real democratic and economic reforms."

One weapons-cache location identified by the sources is a mountain tunnel near the village of al-Baidah in northwest Syria, the report said. The tunnel is known to house a branch of the Assad regime's national security apparatus.

Two other arms supplies are reported to be in west-central Syria. One is hidden at a factory operated by the Syrian Air Force, near the village of Tal Snan, between the cities of Hama and Salmiyeh. The third location is tunnels beneath the small town of Shinshar, which belongs to the 661 battalion of the Syrian Air Force.

The nephew of Zu Alhema al-Shaleesh, Assef al-Shaleesh, runs Al Bashair Trading Co., a front for the Assad family involved prior to the war in oil smuggling from Iraq and arms smuggling into the country. Al-Bashair has offices in Damascus, Beirut and Baghdad.

In an exclusive interview yesterday with the London Telegraph, Assad came close to admitting his country possessed stockpiles of weapons of mass destruction.

Assad told the London paper Syria rejects American and British demands for concessions on weapons of mass destruction, insisting Damascus is entitled to defend itself by acquiring its own chemical and biological deterrent.

He said Israel must agree to abandon its undeclared nuclear arsenal in order for Syria to consider any deal with the U.S.

Last week, the Los Angeles Times reported Al Bashair Trading Co. participated in the smuggling of millions of dollars worth of sophisticated arms and equipment to Saddam Hussein for three years prior to the Iraqi leader's overthrow.

Al Bashair executives met with North Korean firms before the war began, according to the Los Angeles daily. The paper's three-month investigation included the translation of 800 signed contracts found in the Al Bashair Trading Co. office shortly before U.S. troops entered Baghdad.

Just prior to the U.S.-led effort to oust Hussein, SES International Corp. signed at least 50 contracts to supply weapons and gear to Iraq, the Times said, including 1,000 heavy machine guns and up to 20 million bullets for assault rifles.

Not all the weapons were delivered, but some may still be in use by terrorists battling the U.S. occupation forces, the newspaper said.

At least one shipment of arms was completed with the help of the Syrian government in violation of a U.N. arms embargo.

SES International Corp. denied any wrongdoing, while Syria's foreign ministry refused to comment to the Times.

---

[JohnHuang2]

G'nite, my friend -- sleep well :-)

[kcvl]

Syria declares right to weapons


By Benedict Brogan
LONDON DAILY TELEGRAPH



DAMASCUS, Syria — Syria is entitled to defend itself by acquiring chemical and biological deterrents, President Bashar Assad said yesterday as he rejected American and British demands for concessions on weapons of mass destruction.




http://washingtontimes.com/world/20040105-093703-9439r.htm

[Fledermaus]

After Syria, Iran and North Korea, can we then go after France?

[kcvl]

Sounds like a plan. lol!

[kcvl]

Last Update: 06/01/2004 07:16

Syria complains to UN over Golan Heights plan

By Reuters

Syria lodged a complaint at the UN Security Council on Monday over a reported possible drive to double Israeli settlers in the occupied Golan Heights.

"This provocative Israeli decision comes a few weeks after the Syrian initiative for the resumption of peace talks...it unveils the true intentions of Israeli leaders that contradict the goal of establishing peace," the official Syrian news agency quoted a letter to the Council and the world body as saying.


http://www.haaretzdaily.com/hasen/pages/ShArt.jhtml?itemNo=379795&contrassID=1&subContrassID=1&sbSubContrassID=0&listSrc=Y

[Susannah]

After Syria, Iran and North Korea, can we then go after France?

Muslims may volunteer to go after France since Chirac has banned their "religious" headscarves. ;^)

[RaceBannon]

Israel from the south west, and the US from the northeast and east.

Once and for all!

And we can liberate Lebanon then, too.

[Neophyte]

...as he rejected American and British demands for concessions on weapons of mass destruction.

Boy Assad is being cheeky... and me thinks it's an old Oriental trick.

You see, if he behaves, he'll be left alone to resolve the million problems his family created in Syria all by himself.

On the other hand, if liberated by the Americans and the British, that shithole of a country would receive all kind of relief and help. And he knows that the civilised "invaders" won't feed him to an industrial shredder Saddam style (feet first).

What a pity!

[The Mayor]

Bump for the truth!!

[Ranger]

All of these sites represent potential targets for retaliatory strikes by Israel from terrorist attacks on it.

[JustPiper]

BumpPing! HNY JH -hugs-

[hchutch]

Somebody must not like Bashir Assad...

These sorts of rumors could easily result in a JDAM through his front door.

[Trueblackman]

Simply send in special forces, record the evidence and put it before the world right before the election. Syria is busted and take the Libya root out of a PR nightmare.

[Michael.SF.]

Actually, it may still have relevence and be 100% accurate. If you think of Syria as the Italy of the mideast, then it makes sense. They now realize which way the wind is blowing and are looking to save themselves, just as the Italians did in WW II.

[Howlin]

I hope you're right. I really, really hope you're right.

[Grampa Dave]

Thanks for your reply and link.

There is a lot of foriegn news about this and of course a blackout by the left wing American mediots.

[Light Speed]

"U.S. State Dept reacted quickly when it was learned that Colin Powells parking stall in Damascus was unavailable"

Damascus moved quickly on the news....tensions have been resolved.

[Poohbah]

How to tell you're about to have a really bad day:

1. The "60 Minutes" truck is parked in front of your house when you go to work.

2. So are the trucks from "Dateline" and "20/20."

3. Mark Geragos calls "just in case."

4. The only folks saying nice things about you are Tom Metzger, Louis Farrakhan, and Charles Manson.

5. Rumsfeld mentions your name--with disapproval--at his press conference.

6. Colin Powell, when pressed for an opinion about you, says, "The guy's gotta go. The only question is how he goes."

7. Sukhoi and Mikoyan-Gurevich aren't returning your calls.

8. Jacques Chirac isn't returning your calls, either.

9. Gerhard Schroeder's secretary suddenly doesn't remember you.

10. Muammar Qadafi Ghadaffi Khadafy Whats-his-name calls on you to give it up for the sake of humanity.

[Wings-n-Wind]

We found 'em.....
Zowie... Let's go get 'em...

*Pickle*... Pause... Pull... Oooh-Rahhh