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Last update - 10:32 29/10/2008
VIDEO / Syria demands UN action against U.S. over raid
By News Agencies
Tags: Walid Moallem, Syria, Iraq 

Syria demanded on Tuesday that the United Nations Security Council take action against the U.S. over a helicopter raid on its soil on Sunday.

Syria said the helicopter strike on the village of Sukkariyeh, five miles (8 kilometers) from the border with Iraq, killed eight civilians, while a U.S. official said the raid was believed to have killed a major al Qaida operative who helped smuggle foreign fighters into Iraq.

In a letter to the UN secretary general and the Security Council, Syria asked that the attack be condemned and that Washington held responsible, Syria's official news agency SANA reported.
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"Syria ..., as it draws attention to this blatant act of aggression, expects the Security Council and United Nations members to shoulder their responsibilities to prevent such a dangerous violation in the future and hold the aggressor responsible," said the letter, carried by SANA.

In another move reflecting Syria's revolt at the U.S. raid and apparently also at Baghdad's lack of a stronger response to it, the Syrian government Tuesday postponed a meeting of the joint Iraqi-Syrian Supreme Committee that was scheduled to convene in Baghdad on Nov. 12.

Iraq has said it doesn't approve of the raid into Syria even if the U.S. claims such operations were legitimate. Government spokesman Ali al-Dabbagh said Iraq doesn't want its territory used for attacks in neighboring nations, but also urged Syria to crack down on organizations operating on its territory that have the intention of harming Iraq.

The Syrian letter to the UN said also that the Iraqi government should investigate the attack and shoulder responsibility to prevent use of its territories as a base for aggression.

Washington has no ambassador in Syria but is represented by a charge d'affaires.

U.S.-Syrian relations plummeted after the February 2005 assassination in neighboring Lebanon of former Lebanese Prime Minister Rafik Hariri, for which many blamed Damascus.

In wake of U.S. attack, Syria shuts down American institutions

Earlier Tuesday, the Syrian cabinet decided to shut down an American school and an American cultural center in Damascus, a move some view as a direct response to the attack.

The decision was taken at a cabinet meeting headed by Syrian Prime Minister Naji Otari who instructed ministers of education and culture to implement the move, SANA reported.

SANA's report didn't say when the school and the center would be closed but that the closures would continue until further notice.

Outside the American School in Damascus' central upscale Maliki neighborhood, everything seemed as usual on Tuesday afternoon. Students were leaving for home shortly before sunset and drivers waited outside the building to pick up the foreign, mostly Arab pupils.

Several students and a foreign teacher said they were not aware of the closure orders and declined to comment further. There was no sign of extraordinary security measures around the school. Three Syrian policemen stood guard near the gate, as they do every day.

Monana Sabban, mother of a first grader at the school, told The Associated Press over the phone that the students were only told the school staff would meet later Tuesday and inform parents by telephone of any new developments.

The school and the cultural center, which is linked to the U.S. embassy, cater to the small American community in the Syrian capital and other foreign residents.

At the session Tuesday, the Syrian cabinet condemned the U.S. raid, describing it as a barbaric act.

"This brutal crime represents a climax of state terrorism exercised by the U.S. administration," said a Cabinet statement. It accused the United States of violating the United Nations charter, international law and international legitimacy, according to SANA.

In Washington, State Department spokesman Robert Wood told reporters Tuesday that he had heard reports about the order to close the American school and cultural center, but he declined to comment further because the U.S. had not been officially notified by the Syrian government about the action.

Wood said Syria has taken steps in the right direction about stopping foreign fighters from moving into Iraq, but there is more they must do, including better screening of people coming into the Damascus airport and better patrolling of borders.

"The Syrians know what they need to do. We want to see those things happen," Wood said.

Syria rejects allegations U.S. strike targeted al-Qaida operative

Meanwhile Tuesday, Syria rejected the allegations that the raid had targeted an al-Qaida operative. "What they are saying is just unjustified. I deny it totally," Syrian Foreign Minister Walid Moallem told reporters.

A U.S. official said on Monday that the raid was aimed at Abu Ghadiya, a former lieutenant of Abu Musab al-Zarqawi, the leader of al-Qaida in Iraq who was killed in a U.S. air strike in 2006.

"What they are saying is not accurate," said Moallem, who is on a visit to London. "Do you imagine that a man with his three children are terrorists?" he said, referring to one of the civilians Syria said was killed in the raid.

He stressed that the victims of the raid were innocent civilians, and repeated his accusation that the attack was a "terrorist act" by the United States. "This is a war crime attempt by the United States against Syria," he said.

Asked if Syria planned any further diplomatic steps, Moallem said "we are awaiting their response. According to what we will receive, we will decide our options."

The Bush administration, which will leave office in January after the U.S. presidential election on Nov. 4, accuses Syria of not doing enough to stem the flow of al-Qaida fighters and other insurgents into Iraq.

Iraq's government denounced the U.S. action on Tuesday in an unusual rebuke of Washington.

"The Iraqi government rejects U.S. aircraft bombarding posts inside Syria," spokesman Ali al-Dabbagh said.

On Monday, Moallem denounced Iraq's initial description of the raid as targeting insurgents across the border.

Asked for his reaction to the latest Iraqi statement, Moallem said: "I think they start to see the fact(s) and (are) going in the right direction."


Related articles:
  • ANALYSIS / U.S. takes page from Israel's book in Syria strike
  • Syrian diplomat: Syria reserves right to respond to U.S. attack
  • U.S. official: Syria strike killed top smuggler of fighters to Iraq
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      1.   An Iraqi in Syria 18:09  |  Fritz T. 28/10/08
      2.   If only they would police their own border 18:18  |  Jo 28/10/08
      3.   The result of BIG ALQ chiefs hiding amongst "civilians" . 19:30  |  Alan SA 28/10/08
      4.   Syrian Foreign Minister -- Why the denials? 19:46  |  Joe Camel 28/10/08
      5.   Mr. Assad`s Medicine - The Washington Post 19:56  |  Fish 28/10/08
      6.   Viva Syria 19:58  |  Jaber 28/10/08
      7.   No one can prevent people from crossing the border 20:04  |  Kuwaiti 28/10/08
      8.   jo the jew are you policing your own border 20:08  |  tea man 28/10/08
      9.   Call The Syrian`s Bluff 20:11  |  Jeff Northridge 28/10/08
      10.   JUVENILE MENTALITY 20:13  |  Ian 28/10/08
      11.   i dare the UN to do something 20:23  |  vik 28/10/08
      12.   No one can prevent people fromcorssing the border 20:32  |  Daniel 28/10/08
      13.   Syria needs Clickfool 20:34  |  leo 28/10/08
      14.   Syria`s response 20:47  |  atrick 28/10/08
      15.   UN lost its legetimacy when it approved Palestine division 20:54  |  Cerdic 28/10/08
      16.   Jeff Northridge...just as soon as they view 20:56  |  Lynn 28/10/08
      17.   #11 atrick...no P? 20:59  |  Lynn 28/10/08
      18.   Border crossing - Kuwati 20:59  |  Col [Res] Cohen 28/10/08
      19.   nonsense 21:12  |  Kei-di 28/10/08
      20.   #11 atrick...no P? Too much! 21:40  |  atrick 28/10/08
      21.   Lynn # 15 Computers At A "Construction Site"? 21:45  |  Jeff Northridge 28/10/08
      22.   Assad is a Fool 21:51  |  Ron 28/10/08
      23.   No Surprise 22:23  |  Mark of Lewiston 28/10/08
      24.   Jeff Northridge - CIA and White House 22:31  |  Mark of Lewiston 28/10/08
      25.   This is a hoot.....Persian Journal 22:33  |  Lynn 28/10/08
      26.   Lynn - COUNTDOWN 22:42  |  Mark of Lewiston 28/10/08
      27.   jeff northridge 23:01  |  alan 28/10/08
      28.   #1 There are two sides to a border, Jo 23:30  |  Johnboy 28/10/08
      29.   Syrian Air Force was asleep...again.? 23:31  |  Stephen. 28/10/08
      30.   Unbelievable - the blue elf! 00:02  |  Rog 29/10/08
      31.   U.S.A. in death throes. 00:19  |  Maureen Ann 29/10/08
      32.   Haaretz Editors 00:24  |  Mark of Lewiston 29/10/08
      33.   why didn`t Israel target Syria when Alois Brunner was there 00:42  |  Ken Jurist 29/10/08
      34.   23, Syrian Air 01:18  |  Ben 29/10/08
      35.   #22 Johnboy 01:26  |  Chet 29/10/08
      36.   No problems, after we probe Syria`s massacre of 100000 Kurds 01:28  |  Dan 29/10/08
      37.   No problems, after we probe Syria`s massacre of 2000 in Hama 01:30  |  Dan 29/10/08
      38.   to Marureen 01:39  |  Rog 29/10/08
      39.   to Johnboy 01:55  |  Rog 29/10/08
      40.   #6 Kuwaiti. Ghadiya will not cross any more borders. 01:57  |  Bling Bling 29/10/08
      41.   Assad 02:54  |  Jeffrey 29/10/08
      42.   CHET the 3rd reason is that Syria stands accused. 03:24  |  PETER SM 29/10/08
      43.   So what? UN action? What`s that? 03:41  |  Steve from Raleigh 29/10/08
      44.   POLICING BORDERS, who`s job is it? 04:14  |  VIPER 29/10/08
      45.   I was guilty - Mark of Lewiston 04:15  |  mark Lincoln 29/10/08
      46.   #4, FISH and his propaganda 04:17  |  VIPER 29/10/08
      47.   #10, VIK again with BS 04:21  |  VIPER 29/10/08
      48.   Leo (#12) 04:24  |  jjvanka 29/10/08
      49.   #35, DAN, and israel as well 04:25  |  VIPER 29/10/08
      50.   #38, ROG, trying to shift responsiblity 04:31  |  VIPER 29/10/08
      51.   Mark of Lewiston 04:33  |  Mark Lincoln 29/10/08
      52.   #42 PeterSM. America is there at its own risk-it is the invader! 04:51  |  Maureen Ann 29/10/08
      53.   MAUREEN America was at home at its own risk So are we 05:13  |  PETER SM 29/10/08
      54.   What? UN action??? 05:38  |  Niva dos Santos 29/10/08
      55.   PETER SM We have no business being there 06:25  |  Chet 29/10/08
      56.   #42 PETER SM 06:41  |  Chet 29/10/08
      57.   will america never learn...? 07:09  |  ravi 29/10/08
      58.   Mark Lincoln - 7 Hours 07:09  |  Mark of Lewiston 29/10/08
      59.   Maureen Ann - Mission Not Accomplished 07:17  |  Mark of Lewiston 29/10/08
      60.   21 Jeff Northridge - It Depends 07:28  |  Mark of Lewiston 29/10/08
      61.   UN action haha indeed 07:38  |  bilal 29/10/08
      62.   Syria should be tanking the USA for services performed 07:55  |  Esther 29/10/08
      63.   The Assad family. 08:11  |  Jean Van Daem 29/10/08
      64.   #39 A question for Rog, put two different ways.... 08:19  |  Johnboy 29/10/08
      65.   #45 Here`s an interesting report, Mark Lincoln 08:44  |  Johnboy 29/10/08
      66.   Bush and the Middle East. 09:21  |  Daniel Garcia 29/10/08
      67.   Johnboy 09:52  |  TonyL 29/10/08
      68.   Viper 49 - hundreds of thousands? 10:16  |  ChanahS 29/10/08
      69.   jjvanka 48 10:18  |  ChanahS 29/10/08
      70.   Foreign TV news channels declare that.... 10:27  |  Esther 29/10/08
      71.   the obama test 11:51  |  Bobby 29/10/08
      72.   CHET You have no business preaching at Israel regularly 12:50  |  PETER SM 29/10/08
      73.   #67 You are kidding, right, TonyL? 12:58  |  Johnboy 29/10/08
      74.   #26 Mark of Lewiston....I heard the State Dept 13:16  |  Lynn 29/10/08
      75.   #52 Maureen Ann....the US is not the only 13:29  |  Lynn 29/10/08
      76.   #59 Mark of Lewiston. "Mission not accomplished." 13:45  |  Maureen Ann 29/10/08
      77.   why, the US raid on Syria? 13:51  |  khairi janbek 29/10/08
      78.   Re: why, the US raid on Syria? (Janbek) 14:51  |  atrick 29/10/08
      79.   Maureen Ann #76 The `Corporate Mission` 15:36  |  examiner 29/10/08
      80.   Snakes nest scared good! 16:25  |  Syper Cynic 29/10/08
      81.   74 lynn-hard on parents of troops? 17:25  |  ayesha 29/10/08
      82.   74 Lynn - Good Analysis from Hong Kong 18:11  |  Mark of Lewiston 29/10/08
      83.   76 Maureen Ann - Congress is Making some Progress 18:22  |  Mark of Lewiston 29/10/08
      84.   Souvereign Syria bears absolute responsibility 18:33  |  17 29/10/08
      85.   A Brazen Act Of War 18:47  |  the Canadian chet 29/10/08
      86.   Dear Chet , Remember the survivors of the Achille Lauro? 18:49  |  Big Sur 29/10/08
      87.   Take action: sue Assad for Hariri murder 18:50  |  Israeli citizen 29/10/08
      88.   #72 PETER SM 19:04  |  Chet 29/10/08
      89.   #85 19:15  |  Chet 29/10/08
      90.   #*85 Chet (not Canadian Chet) #86Perhaps you should read my post 19:27  |  Big Sur (post 86) 29/10/08
      91.   Chet #88 19:34  |  Big Sur 29/10/08
      92.   #90 Big Sur (post 86) 19:36  |  Chet 29/10/08
      93.   Mr Nebraska Chet. 19:44  |  Big Sur 29/10/08
      94.   #91 Big Sur 19:47  |  Chet 29/10/08
      95.   Hi Nebraska Chet 19:50  |  Robert/Montreal 29/10/08
      96.   # 94 if you read my post you would see I was wearing 19:55  |  BIG SUR 29/10/08
      97.   #93 Big Sur 19:55  |  Chet 29/10/08
      98.   #95 Robert/Montreal 20:07  |  Chet 29/10/08
      99.   LIBERTY 20:28  |  Angel 29/10/08
      100.   CHET" Mossad played a big part in bringing down the towers` 21:12  |  PETER SM 29/10/08
      101.   Re: Viper 21:32  |  Angel 29/10/08
      102.   Re: A Brazen Act Of War 21:42  |  Angel 29/10/08
      103.   Hi Angel #101 21:55  |  Big Sur 29/10/08
      104.   No Probnlem 22:24  |  Dr Noam 29/10/08
      105.   Chet - the USS Liberty 23:20  |  Mark Lincoln 29/10/08
      106.   #82 Mark of Lewiston........TWO sons 23:31  |  Lynn 29/10/08
      107.   SOFA - And the Iraqi government 23:32  |  Mark Lincoln 29/10/08
      108.   Syria requesta UN condemnation of Israel 23:53  |  peacenik 29/10/08
      109.   # PeterSM. A senior U.S. Military officer has called for... 00:08  |  Maureen Ann 30/10/08
      110.   For #102 Angel - Re Act Of War 00:13  |  chet 30/10/08
      111.   "CHET" ?? Anxiously awaiting for your W.T.C evidence ! 01:05  |  PETER SM 30/10/08
      112.   GRAY "Palestinians there before King David"? Now THAT`s news 01:15  |  PETER SM 30/10/08
      113.   Second Hague Convention - Article V 01:42  |  Geoff 30/10/08
      114.   #103, BIG SUR, what a loead of BS 01:53  |  VIPER 30/10/08
      115.   Re: Act of War 02:20  |  Angel 30/10/08
      116.   Second Hague Convention 02:35  |  Angel 30/10/08
      117.   Say what? 02:37  |  Angel 30/10/08
      118.   #111 Peter Chet has his dealings, not enough crosses to burn 02:55  |  Big Sur 30/10/08
      119.   SYRIA STOP THE TERRORISM & ARMING 03:44  |  Dale 30/10/08
      120.   #84 Interesting sleight of hand, 17 05:26  |  Johnboy 30/10/08
      121.   #115 Oh dear, Angel let`s one slip... 05:40  |  Johnboy 30/10/08
      122.   Big Sur 05:55  |  PETER SM 30/10/08
      123.   SOFA Changes Considered 05:58  |  Mark of Lewiston 30/10/08
      124.   #116 Actually, Angel..... 06:01  |  Johnboy 30/10/08
      125.   To my idiot countrymen 16:35  |  Mikesailor 30/10/08
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