World Syria Crisis: There is 'Convincing Evidence' of Chemical Weapons Use in Syria Attack- U. N.

[LequteMan]

U.N. inspectors on Monday have revealed that there is "clear and convincing evidence" that chemical weapons were used on a relatively large scale in an attack last month in Syria that killed hundreds of people.

The rebels and their Western and Arab supporters blame President Bashar Assad's regime for the attack in the rebel-controlled area of Ghouta. The Assad regime insists that the attack was carried out by rebels.

After the attack the U.N. sent a chemical weapons team to Syria to investigate whether chemical weapons were used and if so which ones. After days of delays, the inspectors were allowed access to victims, doctors and others in the Damascus suburbs.

Chief weapons inspector Ake Sellstrom handed over the report to the UN secretary-general, Ban Ki-Moon on Sunday and The Associated Press saw the first page of the report. Ban was scheduled to present the report to the U.N. Security Council later Monday morning.


The inspectors said "the environmental, chemical and medical samples we have collected provide clear and convincing evidence that surface-to-surface rockets containing the nerve agent sarin were used ... in the Ghouta area of Damascus" on Aug. 21. The report mentioned the areas of Ein Tarma, Moadamiyeh and Zamalka.

"The conclusion is that chemical weapons have been used in the ongoing conflict between the parties in the Syrian Arab Republic ... against civilians, including children, on a relatively large scale," the inspectors said on the first page of the report.



In Geneva, the chairman of a U.N. war crimes panel on Monday said it is investigating 14 suspected chemical attacks in Syria.

Paulo Sergio Pinheirosaid the Geneva-based U.N. panel he heads has not pinpointed the chemical used in the attacks and is awaiting evidence from a separate team of U.N. chemical weapons inspectors.

Pinheiro also said the panel believes Assad's government has been responsible for war crimes and crimes against humanity, while rebel groups have perpetrated war crimes but not crimes against humanity "because there is not a clear chain of command."

 

[Tannoy]

This thing is become over-drawn. Assad should be brought to justice, and swiftly too.

 

[The_Astutian]

^^Nope. Slow things last longer.
Due process made it over-drawn. I think he should be punished..slowly and at length.
He even celebrated his birthday amid all the chaos!

 

[Vunderkind]

As Barack Obama said, 189 countries representing 98% of humanity came together in 1997 to sign an agreement to ban the use of chemical weapons by any country or group of countries. al-Assad broke the agreement last month by the crimes he has committed and continued to commit.

You should watch Obama's speech on the issue. Damn. This is just painfully sad. It's the Nazi Holocaust all over again.

 

[LequteMan]

^^I tell you my brodah.