Assad may not have okayed Syria chemical attacks: German report

Zee Media Bureau/Supriya Jha

Berlin: Even as the Western nations have of late reiterated their accusation of Syrian regime being behind the chemical attack on Aug 21, a German intelligence input hints that President Bashar al-Assad may not have approved of the deadly attacks that allegedly killed 1400. According to a German newspaper, a surveillance ship operated by German intelligence and positioned off Syrian coast gathered some information based on intercepted calls of Syrian Army commanders. The intelligence inputs reveal that Syrian commanders had requested Assad’s approval for the chemical attacks since last few months but the President denied it every time, reported the daily. The German daily report further suggests that the chemical attacks may have been staged with the help of elements within the government but without the nod of Assad. US and France have claimed time and again that Assad regime was behind the chemical attacks on August 21 in Syria’s Ghouta, which killed over 1400 people. The US and France also claimed to have the evidences of Sarin gas attack, but Syrian President has reiterated his denial, rubbishing the evidence possessed by the West as false and insufficient. In an interview to the CBS news channel to be released on Monday, Assad said "There has been no evidence that I used chemical weapons against my own people", reported the CBS. Assad dared the US to produce any “conclusive” evidence that Assad regime used chemicals but at the same time the President confessed the fears of a US attack, saying it might weaken the Syrian military and the rebels may get an upper hand, the report further added. As the US Congress comes back to work on Monday after its summer recess, Obama administration has been engaged with the tough task of drumming up support for the Syria strike resolution that would be put up for vote on Wednesday in the US Senate.