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| Syria-Lebanon-Iran |
| Syria fingers al-Qaeda for Damascus festivities |
| 2004-04-28 |
| Three loud explosions were heard in a district of the Syrian capital that houses several embassies late on Tuesday, as official sources reported a gunbattle between "terrorists" and security forces. Syria's ambassador to the United States, Imad Mustafa, told CNN that one assailant was killed and another captured in the gunbattle. He appeared to point a finger of blame at al-Qaeda. "We've being doing our best against al-Qaeda. We share the same enemy (as the United States). We aid the US in its fight against al-Qaeda and terrorism," said the envoy. An AFP correspondent at the scene in the Mazzeh district of western Damascus said a building which houses UN offices was on fire, while residents said one of the explosions occurred near the City Mall shopping centre. SANA said that "terrorists" had attacked security forces in Mazzeh. "A terrorist and sabotage group opened fire indiscriminately in the Mazzeh district," SANA said, quoting a security source. "The security services confronted them and are in full control of the situation." The Mazzeh district is home to several Western and Middle East embassies, including those of Britain, Canada, Iran and Saudi Arabia, as well as UN offices. SANA later scrapped a report that three gunmen were killed in a gunbattle with police outside the Canadian embassy, without giving an explanation. It said earlier, quoting its own reporters, that four gunmen fired at passers-by and Syrian police in front of the embassy, sparking a gunbattle in which three of the assailants were killed and the other wounded. Local residents contacted by AFP said sirens blared after the explosions and that security forces had cordoned off the area. Rounds of automatic gunfire were also heard. The gunfire stopped at about 18:00 GMT, an hour after the blasts, they said, adding that a university campus in the area was evacuated. In London, the Foreign Office confirmed that at least one explosion and a shooting incident took place close to the residences of the Iranian and British ambassadors. "There has been an explosion and shooting close to the Iranian ambassador's residence and in the vicinity of the British ambassador's residence," a spokesperson said. He said no injuries had been reported to British embassy staff. US diplomats in the Syrian capital reported hearing two loud explosions, but could not determine what caused them or their exact location, a state department official said. However, the official, citing the diplomats' report-back to Washington, said the explosions were not near the US embassy in Damascus. The official added that the US embassy was closed for the day at the time of the blasts and that the diplomats were seeking further information from Syrian authorities. |
| Posted by:Dan Darling |
| #8 11ASS, I agree. When has AQ not left gobs or sprayed people, Kuffar or otherwise, at the scene of one of their attacks? How hard would it be to rent a bombing bozo in Damascus, a city where even the Weather Underground probably still maintains an office? I wouldn't be surprised to find that security forces were at the scene waiting to Cynic, how does blowing up an abandoned UN building, sound like tribal Kurdish justice to you? |
| Posted by: Super Hose 2004-04-28 1:43:24 PM |
| #7 It definitely wasn't an AQ trained force. This op doesn't fit their tactical template at all. I could write a monograph about this, but just one point. AQ is death on recon, sometimes spending years getting to know every aspect of the objective. There's no way they would ever hit an empty building. |
| Posted by: 11A5S 2004-04-28 12:34:59 PM |
| #6 Maybe it was Kurds trying to get revenge for the killing of tens of their community some weeks back? |
| Posted by: Cynic 2004-04-28 10:48:11 AM |
| #5 Oh, don't get me wrong. They probably had some agent provocateurs recruit, arm, and shepherd some young idiots in the right direction. They might even have siphoned them off from the stream of jihadi flowing through the eastern provinces and al Qaim. I doubt it was a whole-cloth fabrication. But the incident stinks to high heaven of Syrian invention. |
| Posted by: Mitch H. 2004-04-28 9:17:07 AM |
| #4 Mith H. is absolutely correct. The "attack" was staged. When the Syrian ambassador to Washington yesterday said that Syria stands shoulder to shoulder with the US in the WOT I knew then the attack was faked. |
| Posted by: Mark 2004-04-28 8:29:43 AM |
| #3 1) Low casualty count. 2) Middle of the night. 3) Against an *unoccupied* building of symbolic, non-practical significance. 4) In full view of various foreign embassies, actually *in* the embassy district, in a country with poor access for free media. 5) Very loud, with multiple explosions, yet few bodies. 6) Right after a series of embarrassments, including the foiled Jordanian chemical plot, more press about the "secret war" on the Iraqi border, and the Syrian Kurdish mini-uprising in March. 7) Comes as the Coalition starts to make sabre-rattling noises in the general direction of the Syrians and Iranians. 8) Comes a week after the Israelis demonstrate once again their willingness to assassinate Arab leaders who piss them off sufficiently. I'm sorry, but combine this with Syrian officials whining about how they're fighting al Queda, too, and I have to say - this has all the hallmarks of a self-inflicted wound. You know it's a clumsy false-flag operation when *I* can spot it. |
| Posted by: Mitch H. 2004-04-28 7:44:19 AM |
| #2 Does that mean that they will make the AQ guys turn the lights out in their office, pull the shades down and screen their calls with Caller ID? |
| Posted by: Super Hose 2004-04-28 3:30:20 AM |
| #1 CNN is reporting that they were placing explosives under a car. If true then this is an assasination attempt. Not AQs MO. |
| Posted by: Phil_B 2004-04-28 2:44:55 AM |