McClatchy News: Syrian rebel whose group is linked to al Qaida visited U.S.
* Ahrar al Sham is an Islamist rebel force that works with al Qaida
* Though controversial, Ahrar al Sham is not a designated terrorist group
* Rebels say U.S. inaction leaves them no choice but to work with jihadists
WASHINGTON - A senior figure from a Syrian rebel group with links to al Qaida was allowed into the United States for a brief visit, raising questions about how much the Obama administration will compromise in the search for partners in the conflict.
Labib al Nahhas, foreign affairs director for the Islamist fighting group Ahrar al Sham, spent a few days in Washington in December, according to four people with direct knowledge of the trip and who spoke on condition of anonymity because of the sensitivity of U.S. relations with Syrian rebels.
His previously undisclosed visit is a delicate matter for both sides – the conservative Salafist insurgents risk their credibility with even perceived ties to the United States, and the U.S. government risks looking soft on screenings by allowing entry to a member of an Islamist paramilitary force.
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Update #1: Reporter Confronts State Department Over DC Visit by Islamist Group Leader -- Washington Free Beacon
Update #2: Syrian Al-Qaeda-linked leader freely visited the US, but State Dept. says it ‘didn’t know’ (RT).
WNU Editor: This smells bad.
3 comments:
Removing AAS from the list of recognized terrorist groups a few weeks back was the first signal that the western governments are going to try and clean up the reputation of all the groups in the Jaish al-Fateh operations room and try to sell them as the new "moderate" rebel forces because they're the only group in the north capable of achieving large-scale successes. The problem is that Jabhat al-Nusra (al qaeda) is credited by most observers as being the driving force in all of those successes for years, and if JaF cuts ties with JaN then their cohesion and ability to direct offensives will surely be cut out from underneath them.
“What I would say again is, you know, we support those members of the HNC who have been vetted by the Saudis,..."
In the immortal words of Fred G. Sanford: "You big dummy!!!"
Hahahahahahahaha! Oh my God!! What a f'n joke. Somebody should put a Darth Vader helmet on THIS guy.
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