[sub]Chemical bombs and parts of rocket systems[/sub]
"IRAQI WEAPONS OF MASS DESTRUCTION HIDDEN IN SYRIA"
[sup]by Joost Margés[/sup]
AMSTERDAM - The Iraqi WMD’s, the main reason for the US to invade Iraq last year, seem to have been found. In Syria. A highly qualified Syrian intelligence officer has submitted detailed information about this to a fellow countryman in exile.
The dissident journalist Nizar Najoef –who received the 2000 UNESCO prize for press freedom whilst in jail – last Saturday provided De Telegraaf (this newspaper – CF) with a letter and a map with the exact locations of the very secret weapons depots.
Najoef named the exact locations where the chemical weapons the Americans and Brits are after might be during a meeting in a bar in Paris. Firstly, it concerns a tunnel in a mountain near Al-Baida, two kilometres from Masjaf. A second hiding place is a factory of the Syrian air force in the town of Tal Snan, situtated between Hama and Salamijia. A third location is situated near Sjinsjar, east of the road between Hama and Damascus. At a depth of a few dozen meters, weapons are stored here in tunnels used by the 661st batallion of the air force. The three hot spots are located in the western part of central Syria. According to the writer of the letter the weapons were delivered there in wooden crates and barrels, under authority of the chief of the presidential guard, General Zoel Himma Sjaliesj. He received support from his cousin Asaf, who is employed by the Bacha-Ir firm, owned by the presidential Assad family. The company has affiliates in Beyrut, Damascus, and Baghdad. The writer deems it possible that this same corporation was previously responsible for the smuggling of Iraqi oil to Syria, and of Syrian weapons into Iraq.
Kept Abreast
Najoef is convinced that the hide-outs contain WMD’s as well as parts of rocket systems, both moved into safety by Saddam Hussein. Najoef is –remarkably- also convinced that the US already has all of this information, but have kept it from the public eye for political reasons so far.
The Americans do not want to get rid of the Damascus government, thus reasons the journalist. Thie attitude is mostly defended by the minister of foreign affairs, Colin Powell, who has heavily relied on diplomacy so far. For this reason, Powell is alleged to be in a row with his colleague of defence, Rumsfeld, who envisions an entirely different strategy. “By the time the US have decided they want to dispose of the Syrian rulers, they will report the finds as great news, naturally”, Najoef remarks nonchalantly. “Because then, this story will play in their advantage all of a sudden.”
Najoef gladly reveals all the secrets that were trusted to him. After spending almost ten years in Syrian prisons because of his government-unfriendly publications, he sees no advantage in the diplomatic keeping of the peace Powell employs. “I know the Syrian regime: it’s the spitting image of Hussein’s reign in former days.”
With these revelations Najoef mainly wants to prevent insufficient information towards the public at large. “When I read how French, British, but also Dutch newspapers report that Basjir Assad, after all the misdeeds of his father, now brings democracy in his country, I laugh myself silly. Also regard the European Union’s attitude towards Damascus. It’s disgraceful! Last December, the EU entered into an agreement with Syria regarding economical and cultural cooperation. Only in one sentence it was suggested that the country might want to improve on its human rights situation. And this while the EU had demanded full respect for human rights as an absolute deal-breaking qualifier during earlier negotiations with the Mediterranean states.”
