(New York Times) - The Syrian target that Israeli warplanes struck last weekend had been the site of recent construction, possibly to prepare it for use by the Palestinian militant group Islamic Jihad, senior American officials briefed on intelligence reports said Thursday. Improvements to the camp could only have been carried out with the knowledge and acquiescence of the Syrian government. The site, 15 miles northwest of Damascus, has been used for training in the last six months by two smaller, less active, Palestinian militant groups, but the new construction, detected by American spy satellites, together with human intelligence reports indicating that Islamic Jihad might be preparing to use the site, were particularly worrisome. Reports indicated that the Syrian site might also be used in the future for attacks against U.S. troops in Iraq.
2003-10-10 00:00:00Full ArticleBACK Visit the Daily Alert Archive