A secret cable signed by the US Consulate General in Istanbul, Scott Frederick Kilner, supports claims by the Syrian opposition the regime used chemical weapons against its own people in an attack against Homs last month.
The Consulate's intensive investigation produced a "compelling case" that claims that Syrian President Bashar al-Asad used chemical weapons were true. The investigation included interviews with activists, doctors, and defectors, including Mustafa al-Sheikh, a former regime major general and WMD official.
Opposition figures published videos and photos of the December 23 attack.
FP spoke with doctors who treated the victims. All were sure victims fell prey to chemical weapons, not tear gas. The medical officials attributed 5 deaths and around 100 cases of severe respiratory, nervous system, and gastrointestinal pain to the poison.
"The main symptom of the respiratory ailments was bronchial secretions," said Dr. Nashwan Abu Abdo, who spoke to FP from Homs. "This particular symptom was the cause of death of all the people. All of them died choking on their own secretions.
Abdo said the chemical weapons were fired by tank shell. The symptoms of those who were further from the shelling included gastrointestinal pain, nausea, and vomiting.
According to FP, the doctors concluded the weapons where chemical and not tear gas because of three factors: the suddenness of death of those directly exposed, the large number of people affected, and hte fact that many had reoccurring symptoms after treatment, meaning the chemical agent had settled in their nervous system and/or fat.
The State Department would not comment on the contents of the secret cable. If true, the attack means the al-Asad regime crossed the "red line" delineated by President Obama last year.
"We have been very clear to the al-Asad regime, but also to other players on the ground, that a red line for us is we start seeing a whole bunch of chemical weapons moving around or being utilized," said President Obama. "That would change my calculus. That would change my equation."
US policy has not yet shifted to reflect the reported use of chemical weapons.
Satellite images showing Syria preparing for the use of chemical weapons in early December 2012 prompted a rare united international push against the regime.
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| Homs (AJE) |
The Consulate's intensive investigation produced a "compelling case" that claims that Syrian President Bashar al-Asad used chemical weapons were true. The investigation included interviews with activists, doctors, and defectors, including Mustafa al-Sheikh, a former regime major general and WMD official.
Opposition figures published videos and photos of the December 23 attack.
FP spoke with doctors who treated the victims. All were sure victims fell prey to chemical weapons, not tear gas. The medical officials attributed 5 deaths and around 100 cases of severe respiratory, nervous system, and gastrointestinal pain to the poison.
"The main symptom of the respiratory ailments was bronchial secretions," said Dr. Nashwan Abu Abdo, who spoke to FP from Homs. "This particular symptom was the cause of death of all the people. All of them died choking on their own secretions.
Abdo said the chemical weapons were fired by tank shell. The symptoms of those who were further from the shelling included gastrointestinal pain, nausea, and vomiting.
According to FP, the doctors concluded the weapons where chemical and not tear gas because of three factors: the suddenness of death of those directly exposed, the large number of people affected, and hte fact that many had reoccurring symptoms after treatment, meaning the chemical agent had settled in their nervous system and/or fat.
The State Department would not comment on the contents of the secret cable. If true, the attack means the al-Asad regime crossed the "red line" delineated by President Obama last year.
"We have been very clear to the al-Asad regime, but also to other players on the ground, that a red line for us is we start seeing a whole bunch of chemical weapons moving around or being utilized," said President Obama. "That would change my calculus. That would change my equation."
US policy has not yet shifted to reflect the reported use of chemical weapons.
Satellite images showing Syria preparing for the use of chemical weapons in early December 2012 prompted a rare united international push against the regime.
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