FSA denies claims Israeli weapons seized in Homs
12/02/2012 By Yousef Diab
http://www.asharq-e.com/news.asp?section=1&id=28457

Beirut, Asharq Al-Awsat- The Free Syrian Army [FSA] and Syrian revolution
coordination committees have categorically rejected reports published in the
Syrian Al-Watan newspaper that "the competent authorities were able after
violent clashes with gunmen in Baba Amru (in Homs) to kill several of them,
wound others, and arrest others as well. It became evident that they
included ones who carry Lebanese, Libyan, and Afghan nationalities and had
Israeli weapons." They labelled this information deception and lies.

The regime-affiliated Al-Watan newspaper said that "during the chasing of
the terrorists in Baba Amru neighbourhood, the competent authorities seized
Israeli-made (LAW) rockets, US and Israeli-made highly accurate and
rapid-fire sniper guns never seen before, in addition to weapons and shells
of various calibers. Some of these elements were also arrested and it became
evident that some of them carry Lebanese, Libyan, and Afghan nationalities.
The information indicates their association with "Al-Qaeda" organization."

Al-Baath newspaper, the ruling party's mouthpiece in Syria, also announced
the capture of Israeli-made weapons and said "the competent authorities
dismantled an explosive device weighing 1.5 kg that a terrorist group
planted under the car of a school headmaster in Lattakia. It was discovered
after it was dismantled that the device contained the highly explosive C4
material." It pointed out that "this material is made abroad and Syria does
not produce it and the Israeli occupation entity is considered its largest
producer in the region."

A leading "FSA" officer considered the "aim of this information is to
deceive and fabricate lies because this (Syrian) regime is built on lies and
deception to solicit the people's sympathy and justify its crimes." As to
the seizure of Israeli weapons in Homs, the officer who refused to be named
told Asharq Al-Awsat: "This is a scenario to scare the people. The fact is
that Al-Assad family's regime alone has been the agent of Israel for 40
years. It is starting today to claim that it is the target of an
Israeli-American conspiracy and at times claims it is targeted by Al-Qaeda
organization. We assert there are no foreign gunmen in Syria other than the
fighters of the Iranian Revolutionary Guards and Hezbollah who are fighting
alongside this regime for its survival." He asked: "Why Bashar al-Assad does
not allow the media to enter Syria and report the truth as it is?" He
pledged to the Syrian people that the "FSA will live to their expectation
and will continue to defend our people until the regime is brought down,
especially after the international community has let us down."