BBC - Syrian capital 'rocked by blasts'

[MaineDem]

A series of explosions and gunfire rocked the Syrian capital Damascus on Tuesday evening, reports say.

Sources in the city said between three and five explosions were heard starting at about 1600 GMT. The blasts were followed by repeated gunfire.

The explosions are said to have occurred near the Iranian and Canadian embassies in the city.



http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/middle_east/3664811.stm


Here's the story first posted by maddezmom

[cjbuchanan]

1. Are we invading Syria?

I mean that as a joke, but the sad thing is, I could see it being true.

[NoPasaran]

19. Not Likely

We haven't had Hate Week yet.

[keithyboy]

37. The Al-Jazeera banner is down but the link is below

http://english.aljazeera.net/HomePage

[Joanne98]

2. Is anybody else reporting this?

[NMDemDist2]

4. yes just coming on CNN

and 8 minutes ago on Reuters

shows it near Canadian and Iranian embassies

[Katarina]

5. MSNBC is reporting it

haven't looked online yet though. They are saying it was right next to the British Ambassadors residence and Saudi embassy.

[demoman123]

13. Saudi and British Embassies? Then it's Al Quaeda

These are natural targets for them.

[Ediacara]

18. No, near the Canadian and Iranian embasies

Although ya, that could very well be al-Qaida too...

[nadinbrzezinski]

I think it is Al Qaida

personally

Syria is in their hot list, just as ours.

Folks this is just another escalation, and with Jordan foiling a
major attack yesterday.

Ironic, both Syria and Jordan are too moderate for AQ

[Ediacara]

26. Like I said, it could very well have been al-Qaida

Although honestly, it's WAY too early to tell since there is close to no news on this yet.

I was just correcting the embassies :-)

[Katarina]

22. Conflicting reports?

MSNBC said British Ambassadors residence and Saudi embassy. I backed my TIVO up and listened to it again to make sure I got the story straight before posting. :shrug:

[nadinbrzezinski]

25. Not uncommon this early

in any story like this

[Ediacara]

27. BBC says Canadian and Iranian

There is another report in this thread (MSNBC also IIRC) that quotes the British Ambassador as saying that the blast was at or near the Iranian embassy.

Weird...

ON EDIT: I checked, it was a Reuters report, not MSNBC.

[Ediacara]

29. From the NYT: ...where the embassies of Saudi Arabia, Canada, Iran...

NYT Article

Area residents, speaking on condition of anonymity, said the explosions rocked the Mazza area, where the embassies of Saudi Arabia, Canada, Iran and others are located. The British and Iranian ambassadors have their residences in the area.

[maddezmom]

28. British spokeswoman says closer to Iranian Embassy: link

DUBAI (Reuters) - Blasts and heavy shooting shook the Syrian capital, Damascus, late Tuesday, Arab television stations reported.
Al Jazeera television said the blasts and shooting were heard from a western district of Damascus where it said the British ambassador's residence and the Saudi embassy are located.

Al Arabiya quoted its correspondent as reporting explosions were heard in the city. They gave no further details.

A British Foreign Office spokeswoman in London said the explosion took place on a street close to the Iranian Ambassador's residence.

~snip~
http://www.reuters.com/newsArticle.jhtml?type=worldNews&storyID=4958846

[nadinbrzezinski]

6. CNN Inrweternational and

National, for the later it is running in the bottom, you know
where the real news is reported

A dime on the dollar Kobe Bryant and JaCO are bumped up... WE NEED TO DISTRACT

[maddezmom]

7. CNN and CNNI are both reporting now n/t

[Just Me]

3. Yikes!!!

:nuke:

:scared:

Are the "spooks" creating reason for invading Syria? After all, it is on the PNAC list and the neofascistcons are getting pretty desperate.

[hedda_foil]

8. It sure looks that way ... either CIA or Mossad

there's no way this is coming from anybody in the region. The only other option is Russia or China attempting to further inflame the region against the obvious suspects ... the US and Israel. Given the history of the area, that's totally feasible too.

[Tiberius]

9. Jumping to conclusions?

There's about two sentences worth of news on this at the moment, and you already know this is the CIA or Mossad? Give me a break.

[MidwestTransplant]

43. The SN is Hedda-Foil for a reason!

[Mikimouse]

44. Sorry, it makes more sense than assuming that it has anything...

to do with Al-Qaeda. I certainly wouldn't put it past either organization to try and inflame the Syrians and try to provoke them.

[Just Me]

45. Anyone who has read the updated PNAC should wonder,...

,...what is really going on. Sometimes, it bothers me that others are quick to cut-off the exploration of possibilities when "Rebuilding America's Defenses:,..." is on the table of our "rulers". There is absolutely nothing wrong with an examination of all possibilities given this extremist regime we have ruling our own nation.

[Mikimouse]

47. Some learn quickly, some don't...

It helps to not be blinded by irrational ideology and nationalism. I agree with you, but would caution that we not hold our breath waiting for otherwise well-meaning people to accept all of the possibilities.

[Tiberius]

48. exploring the possibilities is one thing...

but if we're just going to assume it's the CIA or Mossad or whoever, without hearing hardly any of the facts, then why bother with reading the news at all?

Why is waiting for some more answers "cutting off exploration"?

[stopthegop]

10. could be local...

your bias is preventing you from seeing...OBL hates 'moderate' arab govt's as much as he does the West

[shadu]

35. Bush and Sharon would have the most to gain

I would never discount Sharon's appetite for evil.
He revels in his own monstrosity.

[nadinbrzezinski]

11. We don't have the troops

but you forget, Syria is also on Al Qaida's table... they are a
SECULAR state, and OBL has them on their list because of that reason

[liarliartieonfire]

16. Yes, Syria was indeed on Bush's "hot list" as he moves throughout the

Middle East 'fightin terrerists'.
Iraq was just the starting point since he could make the case for his war via bad-man Saddam.

This was never about freeing the Iraqi people from bad Saddam.
But the fools who swallowed Bush's bait, and STILL support his lies should be questioning this with today's bombing in Syria.

Bush's plan falls neatly into place. He doesn't care about the destruction left behind. That's for someone else to fix.
Bush is the most UNSTABLE force in that region.

[happynewyear]

31. yikes is right

This was my initial thought - where are the WMD was being said early on - look to Syria!

I find this whole thing to be so incredibly sickening I can barely think right now.

Is it us or them? Who is responsible and most importantly, where are those WMD? How desperate is this midadministration?

:nuke: is right! Yikes indeed!

[maddezmom]

12. small update from reuters

~snip~
A British Foreign Office spokeswoman in London said the explosion took place on a street close to the Iranian Ambassador's residence.

"It is closer to the Iranian ambassador's residence than it is to our ambassador's residence... (There were no) injuries to UK embassy staff but our staff are in the process of assessing the situation," he said.

"There was no damage to the British embassy."


http://www.reuters.com/newsArticle.jhtml?type=worldNews&storyID=4958846

[nadinbrzezinski]

17. Pure speculation

but it could be an attack on Iran, by Iranians. Would not be the
first time that the first strike happened against an embassy

[Ediacara]

14. BBC update: supposedly car bombs

From the updated version of the above article:

Security sources said the explosions were caused by car bombs, but there has been no independent confirmation of this.

The BBC's Kim Ghattas, in Beirut, says it is not clear what the intended target may have been.

But she says the gunfire has quietened down, and police have cordoned off the area.

[Just Me]

42. Here's Aljazeera's take,...

-snip-

An unnamed Syrian official told Aljazeera that a shootout occurred between "members of a terror group who randomly opened fire in the area" and Syrian security forces. Security police now say they have the area under their control.

-more at-

http://english.aljazeera.net/NR/exeres/C3DDA681-8DB7-4F34-A7D7-6B0C6B7CBF45.htm

[havocmom]

15. dynamic duo gonna use as excuse to cancel Thursday chat with commission?

Will be interesting to see. Would not put it past the Chicken Hawks to hold the world hostage to avoid having to explain their actions.

[bloom]

20. Syria would sure open up an avenue for an oil pipeline.....

If that's what their goal is.....?????

[spinbaby]

21. BBC says gunfire as well

In the scroll bar at the top of the page:

http://news.bbc.co.uk/default.stm

On edit: The article is up now.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/middle_east/3664811.stm

[Joanne98]

23. Fox is reporting Arab TV says 15 blasts

I hate watching fox but they report the war more.

[maddezmom]

30. CNNI reporting over a dozen blasts n/t

[Gloria]

24. The Syrian Arabs and Kurds have also been at it lately....

There have already been incidents between them and the Turkish there denied involvement (in a snipped portion)...I posted a story several weeks ago in the WMW....March 17 edition.

May be totally unrelated...but it's sure a heady internal political mix.....


3//Al Bawaba 16-03-2004
http://www.albawaba.com/news/index.php3?sid=272736&lang=e&dir=news

BID TO BRING CALM FAILS: 11 KURDS KILLED IN SYRIA CLASHES

Some eleven people were killed in clashes between Arabs and Kurds in northern Syria Tuesday.

The incident took place after at least 14 The incident took place after at least 14 Kurds, including three children, were killed in two days of clashes over the weekend with police in the town of Qameshli, Kurdish Syrian representatives reported.

Violence broke out on Friday at a premier Violence broke out on Friday at a premier league football match in Qameshli. Dozens of people sustained bullet wounds as thousands of Kurds gathered to protest against the police deaths Friday.

In an effort to bring calm to the situation, arrests were conducted by the Syrian authorities against the Kurds living. This is despite several meetings between Syrian officials and the Kurdish leadership in the area. Kurdish sources have asserted to Al Bawaba that the riots have now moved on to other Syrian cities including Aleppo, Damascus, and Hasakeh.


(SNIP)

"Previously, there was a Syrian president who had never allowed any of Syria's Baathist to speak out in favor of the regime in Iraq. In the past few years, this has changed and we have been hearing more about the toppled Iraqi regime and how it compared to the one in Syria…I think this issue help trigger a grassroots conviction that it would be easy to riot," Darwish stated.

(SNIP)


Al Hasakeh's (the Syrian province to which the town of Qamishli Al Hasakeh's (the Syrian province to which the town of Qamishli belongs to) deputy governor, Khaled Khudair, has openly accused the Kurdish political groups in the area of provoking their constituents into rioting.

"The parties that have urged such people to commit these acts of disturbance have been influenced by internal and external forces. The Kurdish residents are just pawns in this larger plan," Khudair added.

In the past, the Kurds along with several human rights groups have accused the Syrian government of ignoring the Kurdish plight including their basic human rights.

The Kurdish community in Syria is estimated at 2 million, or twelve percent of a Syrian population that now exceeds 17 million. The Syrian government does not view the Kurds in the same way the Turks do (a disregarded minority), but rather consider them as equal citizens with equal rights.

[Just Me]

32. Sure seems like "terrorist" acts have gone up since the war,...

,...which was supposed to bring terror down.

I'll see if I can find that Oklahoma terrorist group and pin down the numbers.

[maddezmom]

33. CTV link~ "terrorist band"

~snip~
Area residents, speaking on condition of anonymity, told Syrian television that the explosions rocked the Mazza area, where the embassies are located. Syrian television reported that security forces clashed with a "terrorist band" in the area.

One witness told Al-Arabiya there were more than 15 blasts.
~snip~
http://www.ctv.ca/servlet/ArticleNews/story/CTVNews/1083088866320_78498066/?hub=World

[Minstrel Boy]

34. The neocons' road to Damascus.

We won't find Michael Ledeen's in Damascus setting off car bombs, but I think we'll find whomever is behind this, for whatever alleged cause, is a patsy of the neoconservatives.

The neocons mean to destabilize Syria, and stimulate provocation so the war can spill over its borders. It may be madness, but since when has that stopped them?

Remember the recent story, regarding Jordan's "foiling" an al Qaeda chemical attack, supposedly using Iraqi WMD smuggled thru Syria? It's all part of the play.

Speculation in this recent thread regarding a possible move against Syria:

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_topic&forum=104&topic_id=1452243

[fedsron2us]

46. Amazing how Al Qaeda and the neoconservatives seem ...

to share the same agenda for destabilising the whole Middle East. If I did not know better I might think the two were connected. Of course such speculation would be entirely unfounded <irony off>

[Name removed]

36. Deleted message

Message removed by moderator. Click here to review the message board rules.

[maddezmom]

38. huh?

[Bertha Venation]

49. Tell me you're not a freeper, jellofan.

Convince me.

[54anickel]

39. Three explosions rock Damascus: residents

http://www.channelnewsasia.com/stories/afp_world/view/82148/1/.html

DAMASCUS : Three explosions rocked the Mazzeh district of the Syrian capital that houses several embassies, one of them in the area of a shopping mall, residents said.

The official news agency SANA said a "terrorist group" had attacked security forces in Mazzeh.

The targeted district of western Damascus has several Western and Middle East embassies, including those of Britain, Canada, Iran and Saudi Arabia, as well as UN offices.

In London, the Foreign Office said an explosion and shooting took place close to the residences of the Iranian and British ambassadors.

snip>
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 around 1800 GMT, an hour after the blasts, they said, adding that a university campus in the area was evacuated.

[maddezmom]

40. United Nations building on fire

http://quote.bloomberg.com/apps/news?pid=10000103&sid=ad09916UbEEA&refer=us

[Just Me]

41. All hell is breaking loose!!!

It is like Chaos Tuesday.

Just like the PNACers wanted. Ole' "Prince of Darkness", Perle must be breaking out a bottle of bubbles and celebrating the turmoil towards his dream of all-out war.

[oblivious]

50. A-J's now calling them "foreign special forces"

Syrian Security Units Clash with "Foreign Special Forces"

A undercover special forces operation being run by "foreign governments" became embroiled in a bloody battle in Damascus, Syria early this evening sources close to the Syrian Foreign Ministry told Aljazeera.com.

http://www.aljazeera.com/cgi-bin/news_service/middle_east_full_story.asp?service_id=1715