(International Herald Tribune) At the behest of the Syrian government, Palestinian leaders say they had bowed to American pressure and closed the offices of at least 10 militant groups in Damascus bent on an armed struggle against Israel. However, it is much less clear that they have ceased the activities that prompted the American demands. Palestinian leaders say most of the senior commanders of the groups are still in Syria. The offices of some of the groups seem not to have closed at all. Perhaps most important, there is little evidence that the militant groups have ceased to function, or that they have moved to other countries. A Western diplomat in Damascus said the Palestinian militants are still engaging in activities designed to facilitate military strikes against Israel. "As long as some of these leaders have a cell phone and a laptop, they will be able to operate," the diplomat said.
2003-07-16 00:00:00Full ArticleBACK Visit the Daily Alert Archive