(UPI) Richard Sale - U.S. intelligence agencies believe that rogue elements of Syria's ruling elite have accepted millions of dollars in bribes in return for providing a safe haven for some of Iraq's weapons of mass destruction. Chemical and biological weapons were taken by truck to a Syrian munitions compound near a military base near Khan Abu Shamet, about 50 miles northeast of Damascus. The chief suspects in the operation are Bushra Assad, the sister of Syrian President Bashar Assad, and her husband, Gen. Assaf Chawkat, No. 2 in Syria's military intelligence organization, the Mukhabarat. Former senior CIA officials said U.S. combat forces in Iraq detained at least 700 Lebanon-based Hizballah fighters who came in buses over the Syrian border to fight against the U.S. coalition. In one incident, a bus filled with Lebanese Hizballah militants stopped in Iraq included two dozen Chechen terrorists. Another 100 members of Hizballah are being detained at a camp at Tanaa in Iraq. After stern U.S. warnings, Syria tightened up scrutiny at checkpoints, but more Hizballah and jihadis simply went over the border with weapons and explosives.
2003-05-05 00:00:00Full ArticleBACK Visit the Daily Alert Archive