Regarding the Bombing in Damascus

[tabatha]

During the past few days, the regime has stepped up its desperate claims that it has been the target of “terrorist gangs,” and its security apparatus has resorted to fabricating staged explosions that have taken the lives of dozens of Syrians. The regime is repeating these same crimes: today, in the early hours of Monday, we have reports of several suspicious explosions in or near several government buildings, including the official state media and television office; a security center in Rukneddine; and the Central Bank building in Sabaa Bahrat Square.

The Local Coordinating Comittees in Syria (LCC) holds the regime and its security apparatus fully responsible for the bombings and the resultant effects. We confirm that these tricks no longer fool anyone, especially given the fact that the regime has resorted to these escalations every time there is political movement at the Arab, regional, or international level to find a political solution to the crisis in which the regime kills its people who are demanding freedom. We all recall the series of explosions that occurred when the Arab League observers were present in Syria, and the regime is welcoming the head of the UN Observer Mission in the same manner.

The LCC reiterates its previous demand for the formation of an international, independent investigative committee to expose the conditions and circumstances of the terrorist bombings, and to confirm that the regime’s security services are behind them, in their attempt to divert attention from their obligation to comply with the Arab League-UN Initiative presented by international envoy Kofi Annan The regime has demonstrated that it does not take this initiative seriously, as evidenced by the dozens of violations each day. Since the acceptance of UN-Arab League initiative, approximately 900 martyrs have fallen.

The LCC also calls upon local, Arab, and international organizations to immediately intervene to stop the regime’s crimes against the Syrian people, which have continued for the past 13 months.

The Local Coordination Committees in Syria
April 30, 2012

http://www.lccsyria.org/8220

[tabatha]

1. FSA and Islamists express doubts about Al-Nusra Front - 22/03/2012

By Mohammed Al Shafey and Paula Astatih

London / Beirut, Asharq Al-Awsat – Am Islamist group calling itself the Al-Nusra Front to Protect the Levant claimed responsibility for last week’s explosions outside of security installations in Damascus, however doubts have been raised about this claim of responsibility after Islamists announced that they had not previously heard of this group and are unaware of its motivations. Syrian opposition figures have claimed that this group is backed by the al-Assad regime, and that its main objective is to defame the reputation of the Syrian revolution.

A statement, issued on the Islamist “Islamic Shemagh” website, by the Al-Nusra Front, claimed responsibility for a “series of military operations…most prominently against the [Syrian] Air Force and criminal security branches in Damascus.” The group also promised further attacks in retaliation to crimes committed by the regime.

...

However a number of prominent Islamists have raised doubts about this group and its claims of responsibility. Syrian Islamist Omar Bakri informed Asharq Al-Awsat that “the Al-Nusra Front is not known amongst Islamists or mujahedeen; no [Islamic] scholar or mujahedeen has recommended any such group. As for any group that puts forward its literature, we must first be sure of it and its system of operations before...even if a scholar or mujahedeen has recommended it on the Syrian scene.”

http://www.asharq-e.com/news.asp?section=1&id=28956

[leveymg]

2. You are directly contradicted by the testimony of the Director of US Natl Intelligence, and you know

it because I've had to remind you of this in the past. I'll remind you again. The opposition fighters has been joined by al-Qaeda and other Jihadists whom the US says is carrying out terrorist bombings inside Syria; this is not the first time that you have been called on this:

http://www.washingtonpost.com/world/national-security/al-qaeda-infiltrating-syrian-opposition-us-officials-say/2012/02/16/gIQA9LDJIR_story.html

Members of al-Qaeda have infiltrated Syrian opposition groups, and likely executed recent bombings in the nation’s capital and largest city, the United States’ top intelligence official said Thursday.

The remarks by Director of National Intelligence James R. Clapper are the most definitive to date from a senior Obama administration official on al-Qaeda’s efforts to insert itself into the Syrian uprising.

Why do you continue to deny that al Qaeda is carrying out bombings in Syria? Why do you continue to post unfiltered propaganda from groups you know lack credibility on this issue?

[Comrade Grumpy]

3. Yes, news stories are good; one-sided propaganda posts, not so much.

Who's killing all those cops and soldiers? Is that the Assad regime attacking itself, too?

[Dokkie]

4. Its a false flag attack

next Assad will unleash a fury of missiles from a drone plane on his family compound to further discredit the saints trying to destroy Syria.

[leveymg]

5. We're supposed to ignore the fact that this got started on 03/17/11 when 7 cops and 4 demonstrators

were gunned down by snipers and gun battles in Daraa. It's been a psywar and provocation from the outside from the beginning by parties who are quite happy to sacrifice the legitimate Syrian opposition and a lot of innocents in the process.

Israeli and Lebanese news reports (which acknowledge the police deaths) provide a clearer picture of what happened in Daraa on March 17-18. The Israel National News Report (which cannot be accused of being biased in favor of Damascus) reviews these same events as follows:

Seven police officers and at least four demonstrators in Syria have been killed in continuing violent clashes that erupted in the southern town of Daraa last Thursday.

.... On Friday police opened fire on armed protesters killing four and injuring as many as 100 others. According to one witness, who spoke to the press on condition of anonymity, "They used live ammunition immediately -- no tear gas or anything else."

.... In an uncharacteristic gesture intended to ease tensions the government offered to release the detained students, but seven police officers were killed, and the Baath Party Headquarters and courthouse were torched, in renewed violence on Sunday. (Gavriel Queenann, Syria: Seven Police Killed, Buildings Torched in Protests, Israel National News, Arutz Sheva, March 21, 2011, emphasis added)

The Lebanese news report, quoting various sources, also acknowledges the killings of seven policemen in Daraa: They were killed "during clashes between the security forces and protesters... They got killed trying to drive away protesters during demonstration in Dara’a"

The Lebanese Ya Libnan report quoting Al Jazeera also acknowledged that protesters had "burned the headquarters of the Baath Party and the court house in Dara’a" (emphasis added)

These news reports of the events in Daraa confirm the following:

1. This was not a "peaceful protest" as claimed by the Western media. Several of the "demonstrators" had fire arms and were using them against the police: "The police opened fire on armed protesters killing four".

2. From the initial casualty figures (Israel News), there were more policemen than demonstrators who were killed: 7 policemen killed versus 4 demonstrators. This is significant because it suggests that the police force might have been initially outnumbered by a well organized armed gang. According to Syrian media sources, there were also snipers on rooftops which were shooting at both the police and the protesters.

What is clear from these initial reports is that many of the demonstrators were not demonstrators but terrorists involved in premeditated acts of killing and arson. The title of the Israeli news report summarizes what happened: Syria: Seven Police Killed, Buildings Torched in Protests.

The Daraa "protest movement" on March 18 had all the appearances of a staged event involving, in all likelihood, covert support to Islamic terrorists by Mossad and/or Western intelligence. Government sources point to the role of radical Salafist groups (supported by Israel)

Other reports have pointed to the role of Saudi Arabia in financing the protest movement.

What has unfolded in Daraa in the weeks following the initial violent clashes on 17-18 March, is the confrontation between the police and the armed forces on the one hand and armed units of terrorists and snipers on the other which have infiltrated the protest movement.

Reports suggest that these terrorists are integrated by Islamists. There is no concrete evidence as to which Islamic organizations are behind the terrorists and the government has not released corroborating information as to who these groups are.

Both the Syrian Muslim Brotherhood (whose leadership is in exile in the UK) and the banned Hizb ut-Tahrir (the Party of Liberation), among others have paid lip service to the protest movement. Hizb ut Tahir (led in the 1980s by Syrian born Omar Bakri Muhammad) tends to "dominate the British Islamist scene” according to Foreign Affairs. Hizb ut Tahir is also considered to be of strategic importance to Britain's Secret Service MI6. in the pursuit of Anglo-American interests in the Middle East and Central Asia. (Is Hizb-ut-Tahrir another project of British MI6? | State of Pakistan). http://www.globalresearch.ca/index.php?context=va&aid=24591

It's really a proxy war against Iran and a religious war all rolled up into one big ball of Hell's to Pay when this blows back on us, as surely it will.