French report claims Syria staged three chemical attacks (at least 281 deaths from Aug. 21 attack)

[morningfog]

French authorities declassified an intelligence report on Monday which claims that the Bashar al-Assad regime has staged at least three chemical attacks in Syria since April, including the August 21 attack.

The French government published a nine-page synopsis on Monday about Syria’s chemical weapons programme that sites at least three chemical attacks between April and August.

The report also alleged that nobody but the Bashar al-Assad regime could have carried out the August 21 chemical attack outside Damascus, which it said at least 281 deaths could be attributed to. The analysis based that count in part from dozens of videos culled by French intelligence services.

The figure was markedly lower than that provided by Washington, which spoke of at least 1,400 deaths.

The French report said “massive use of chemical agents” were involved in the attack and that the regime could carry out other strikes of a similar nature in the future.

http://www.france24.com/en/20130902-assad-three-chemical-attacks-french-report-syria?ns_campaign=editorial&ns_source=twitter&ns_mchannel=reseaux_sociaux&ns_fee=0&ns_linkname=20130902_assad_three_chemical_attacks_french_report

That is a huge difference in the number killed.

[David__77]

1. It IS a big difference. And on one is talking about Khan al Assal.

There is still a lot for the UN inspectors to do. They are planning to return so that they can visit three additional sites. We will see what their reporting says.

[VanillaRhapsody]

2. I am starting to believe the theory that Assad was usinglow level chemical weapons attacks all along

as a method of terrorizing those who oppose him...just limiting the casualties to those nearest to the bomb directly. Only this time....someone messed up the recipe.....and THAT's why it seemed like such a crazy thing for Assad to do. It seems like someone's subconscious got the better of them perhaps....wanting to get caught..... It kind of seems like the Occam's Razor of the situation. Now he has an International Incident on his hands...

[alcibiades_mystery]

4. Agreed...When Juan Cole promulgates a theory, people had best listen

There have been rumors of chemical attacks for months, probably because they've been lacing some sarin in on a small scale. This one went big, and undeniable.

That's the Occam's Razor explanation to me as well.

[joshcryer]

3. I suspect they watched the videos and did a body count.

To get an accurate assessment of the proven deaths.

From what the videos show I think that 1400 is reasonable. That's only 5x the reported figure, and plausible since the 281 dead probably were in the one or two medical centers that had a camera man.