http://thescotsman.scotsman.com/international.cfm?id=13762005
US steps up pressure on Syria over 'support' for Iraq insurgents MARGARET NEIGHBOUR THE White House is considering new sanctions against Syria, to urge the authorities there to crack down on Iraqis within their borders who support insurgents in Iraq. The New York Times yesterday reported senior United States counter-terrorism experts as saying the Syrian government has not taken action against what the officials called a "network" of Iraqis, despite months of "quiet" US protests. The US officials said Iraqis in Syria were playing a significant role in co-ordinating flows of money, weapons and combatants inside Iraq. The network reportedly includes former officials of Saddam Hussein's government and relatives of the ousted Iraqi leader. Recent intelligence also allegedly suggested the Iraqis' role in supporting insurgents was more extensive than previously suspected. The US state department designates Damascus as a sponsor of terrorism and as such has subjected it to limited sanctions for years. President George Bush's administration imposed additional measures last year that prohibited exports to Syria of most US goods. Between 20,000 and 30,000 terrorists are operating in Iraq, led by Syria-based former regime leaders, Iraq's intelligence chief said yesterday. Major-General Mohammed Abdullah al-Shahwani said he expected armed attacks would end within a year. "We officially call them terrorists," he said. "They are between 20,000 and 30,000 armed men operating all over Iraq, mainly in the Sunni areas where they receive moral support from about 200,000 people." Maj-Gen al-Shahwani said the men, who are well- organised and trained, include former Baath party members, some Islamic militant groups and former army members who lost their jobs. He said terrorist attacks would negatively affect the 30 January election because some people would not be able to reach polling stations. "Whether these attacks would increase or decrease, this depends on the election's result, but our expectation, as a security organ, is that the attacks will recede and end in one year," he said. He said insurgents got financial support from ex-leading Baathist Mohammed Younis al-Ahmed, and Sabaawi al-Hassan, a half-brother of Saddam, who he said were both in Syria. ------------------------ Yahoo! Groups Sponsor --------------------~--> DonorsChoose. A simple way to provide underprivileged children resources often lacking in public schools. Fund a student project in NYC/NC today! http://us.click.yahoo.com/EHLuJD/.WnJAA/cUmLAA/TySplB/TM --------------------------------------------------------------------~-> -------------------------- Want to discuss this topic? Head on over to our discussion list, [EMAIL PROTECTED] -------------------------- Brooks Isoldi, editor [EMAIL PROTECTED] http://www.intellnet.org Post message: osint@yahoogroups.com Subscribe: [EMAIL PROTECTED] Unsubscribe: [EMAIL PROTECTED] *** FAIR USE NOTICE. This message contains copyrighted material whose use has not been specifically authorized by the copyright owner. OSINT, as a part of The Intelligence Network, is making it available without profit to OSINT YahooGroups members who have expressed a prior interest in receiving the included information in their efforts to advance the understanding of intelligence and law enforcement organizations, their activities, methods, techniques, human rights, civil liberties, social justice and other intelligence related issues, for non-profit research and educational purposes only. We believe that this constitutes a 'fair use' of the copyrighted material as provided for in section 107 of the U.S. Copyright Law. If you wish to use this copyrighted material for purposes of your own that go beyond 'fair use,' you must obtain permission from the copyright owner. For more information go to: http://www.law.cornell.edu/uscode/17/107.shtml Yahoo! Groups Links <*> To visit your group on the web, go to: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/osint/ <*> To unsubscribe from this group, send an email to: [EMAIL PROTECTED] <*> Your use of Yahoo! Groups is subject to: http://docs.yahoo.com/info/terms/
