Syria: Regime 'Ready To Retaliate' To Strike

Syria: US Report On Gas Attack

Updated: 8:13pm UK, Friday 30 August 2013

The US released its assessment of the Syrian government's alleged involvement in the August 21 chemical weapons attack in Damascus. Here is the text.

The United States Government assesses with high confidence that the Syrian government carried out a chemical weapons attack in the Damascus suburbs on August 21, 2013. We further assess that the regime used a nerve agent in the attack.

These all-source assessments are based on human, signals, and geospatial intelligence as well as a significant body of open source reporting. Our classified assessments have been shared with the US Congress and key international partners. To protect sources and methods, we cannot publicly release all available intelligence - but what follows is an unclassified summary of the US Intelligence Community's analysis of what took place.

Syrian Government Use of Chemical Weapons on August 21

A large body of independent sources indicates that a chemical weapons attack took place in the Damascus suburbs on August 21.

In addition to US intelligence information, there are accounts from international and Syrian medical personnel; videos; witness accounts; thousands of social media reports from at least 12 different locations in the Damascus area; journalist accounts; and reports from highly credible nongovernmental organisations.

A preliminary US government assessment determined that 1,429 people were killed in the chemical weapons attack, including at least 426 children, though this assessment will certainly evolve as we obtain more information.

We assess with high confidence that the Syrian government carried out the chemical weapons attack against opposition elements in the Damascus suburbs on August 21. We assess that the scenario in which the opposition executed the attack on August 21 is highly unlikely.

The body of information used to make this assessment includes intelligence pertaining to the regime's preparations for this attack and its means of delivery, multiple streams of intelligence about the attack itself and its effect, our post-attack observations, and the differences between the capabilities of the regime and the opposition.

Our high confidence assessment is the strongest position that the US Intelligence Community can take short of confirmation. We will continue to seek additional information to close gaps in our understanding of what took place.

Background:

The Syrian regime maintains a stockpile of numerous chemical agents, including mustard, sarin, and VX and has thousands of munitions that can be used to deliver chemical warfare agents.

Syrian President Bashar al Assad is the ultimate decision maker for the chemical weapons program and members of the program are carefully vetted to ensure security and loyalty. The Syrian Scientific Studies and Research Centre (SSRC) - which is subordinate to the Syrian Ministry of Defence - manages Syria's chemical weapons program.

We assess with high confidence that the Syrian regime has used chemical weapons on a small scale against the opposition multiple times in the last year, including in the Damascus suburbs.

This assessment is based on multiple streams of information including reporting of Syrian officials planning and executing chemical weapons attacks and laboratory analysis of physiological samples obtained from a number of individuals, which revealed exposure to sarin. We assess that the opposition has not used chemical weapons.

The Syrian regime has the types of munitions that we assess were used to carry out the attack on August 21, and has the ability to strike simultaneously in multiple locations. We have seen no indication that the opposition has carried out a large-scale, coordinated rocket and artillery attack like the one that occurred on August 21.

We assess that the Syrian regime has used chemical weapons over the last year primarily to gain the upper hand or break a stalemate in areas where it has struggled to seize and hold strategically valuable territory. In this regard, we continue to judge that the Syrian regime views chemical weapons as one of many tools in its arsenal, including air power and ballistic missiles, which they indiscriminately use against the opposition.

The Syrian regime has initiated an effort to rid the Damascus suburbs of opposition forces using the area as a base to stage attacks against regime targets in the capital. The regime has failed to clear dozens of Damascus neighbourhoods of opposition elements, including neighbourhoods targeted on August 21, despite employing nearly all of its conventional weapons systems.

We assess that the regime's frustration with its inability to secure large portions of Damascus may have contributed to its decision to use chemical weapons on August 21.

Preparation:

We have intelligence that leads us to assess that Syrian chemical weapons personnel - including personnel assessed to be associated with the SSRC - were preparing chemical munitions prior to the attack. In the three days prior to the attack, we collected streams of human, signals and geospatial intelligence that reveal regime activities that we assess were associated with preparations for a chemical weapons attack.

Syrian chemical weapons personnel were operating in the Damascus suburb of 'Adra from Sunday, August 18 until early in the morning on Wednesday, August 21 near an area that the regime uses to mix chemical weapons, including sarin. On August 21, a Syrian regime element prepared for a chemical weapons attack in the Damascus area, including through the utilisation of gas masks.

Our intelligence sources in the Damascus area did not detect any indications in the days prior to the attack that opposition affiliates were planning to use chemical weapons.

The Attack:

Multiple streams of intelligence indicate that the regime executed a rocket and artillery attack against the Damascus suburbs in the early hours of August 21.

Satellite detections corroborate that attacks from a regime-controlled area struck neighbourhoods where the chemical attacks reportedly occurred - including Kafr Batna, Jawbar, 'Ayn Tarma, Darayya, and Mu'addamiyah. This includes the detection of rocket launches from regime controlled territory early in the morning, approximately 90 minutes before the first report of a chemical attack appeared in social media. The lack of flight activity or missile launches also leads us to conclude that the regime used rockets in the attack.

Local social media reports of a chemical attack in the Damascus suburbs began at 2:30 a.m. local time on August 21. Within the next four hours there were thousands of social media reports on this attack from at least 12 different locations in the Damascus area. Multiple accounts described chemical-filled rockets impacting opposition-controlled areas.

Three hospitals in the Damascus area received approximately 3,600 patients displaying symptoms consistent with nerve agent exposure in less than three hours on the morning of August 21, according to a highly credible international humanitarian organisation.

The reported symptoms, and the epidemiological pattern of events - characterised by the massive influx of patients in a short period of time, the origin of the patients, and the contamination of medical and first aid workers - were consistent with mass exposure to a nerve agent. We also received reports from international and Syrian medical personnel on the ground.

We have identified one hundred videos attributed to the attack, many of which show large numbers of bodies exhibiting physical signs consistent with, but not unique to, nerve agent exposure. The reported symptoms of victims included unconsciousness, foaming from the nose and mouth, constricted pupils, rapid heartbeat, and difficulty breathing.

Several of the videos show what appear to be numerous fatalities with no visible injuries, which is consistent with death from chemical weapons, and inconsistent with death from small-arms, high-explosive munitions or blister agents. At least 12 locations are portrayed in the publicly available videos, and a sampling of those videos confirmed that some were shot at the general times and locations described in the footage.

We assess the Syrian opposition does not have the capability to fabricate all of the videos, physical symptoms verified by medical personnel and NGOs, and other information associated with this chemical attack.

We have a body of information, including past Syrian practice, that leads us to conclude that regime officials were witting of and directed the attack on August 21. We intercepted communications involving a senior official intimately familiar with the offensive who confirmed that chemical weapons were used by the regime on August 21 and was concerned with the UN inspectors obtaining evidence.

On the afternoon of August 21, we have intelligence that Syrian chemical weapons personnel were directed to cease operations. At the same time, the regime intensified the artillery barrage targeting many of the neighbourhoods where chemical attacks occurred. In the 24 hour period after the attack, we detected indications of artillery and rocket fire at a rate approximately four times higher than the ten preceding days.

We continued to see indications of sustained shelling in the neighbourhoods up until the morning of August 26.

To conclude, there is a substantial body of information that implicates the Syrian government's responsibility in the chemical weapons attack that took place on August 21. As indicated, there is additional intelligence that remains classified because of sources and methods concerns that is being provided to Congress and international partners.

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Spain: British Man Held Over Father's Death

A British tourist has been arrested on suspicion of killing his 69-year-old father during a fight at a holiday camp in a Spanish beach resort.

A security guard reportedly called police to the Castell Montgri camp in the village of L'Estartit near Girona after an argument broke out between the man, 45, and his father. It is not thought any weapons were used in the lethal attack.

Police discovered the suspect's father lying on the ground with serious head injuries and he was taken to hospital where he died later.

A police spokesman said: "Officers from the Mossos d'Esqudra have arrested a 45-year-old British man in connection with the death of his 69-year-old father.

The Castell Montgri holiday camp is located in the town of L'Estartit

"The victim was taken by emergency services to hospital to be attended for the wounds he suffered, while local police in Torroella de Montgri arrested the alleged perpetrator for domestic violence.

"The victim died this morning and investigators from the Mossos d'Esquadra (Catalan regional police) took on the case."

An autopsy is due to take place today to confirm the cause of death.

The Castell Montgri holiday camp is located at the foot of the Rocamaura mountain next to the town of L'Estartit in the Costa Brava region of northeast Spain. This resort is popular with British tourists during the holiday season.

Police have yet to name the deceased or his son.

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Kent Fire: Huge Plume Of Smoke Seen For Miles

People have been told to keep their doors and windows closed after a huge tyre fire in Kent sent plumes of black smoke into the sky that could been seen over 20 miles away.

The flames rose above some buildings. (Pic: @SAchrisINuk)

Twelve fire engines and more than 70 firefighters are tackling the blaze which broke out on an industrial estate in Gravesend.

Twitter users reported that the smoke could be seen by beachgoers in Southend in neighbouring county Essex.

Some witnesses said canal water was being used. (Pic: @bultifish)

And passengers on planes flying into and out of London airports could also reportedly see the plume.

Kent Fire and Rescue said crews were using three main jets to tackle the fire, which also involved caravans and other vehicle parts.

The size of the fire as seen from a helicopter. (Pic: MPSinthesky)

One person posted that water from the adjacent canal was being used to douse the flames.

Roads around the area have been closed and drivers have been warned about poor visibility due to the thick smoke.

Photographs showed firefighters standing on top of what looked like a large gas container while assessing the blaze. The gas containers have not been affected.

Train passengers could see the smoke. (Pic: @jacksona69)

There are no reports of any injuries and Kent Police are also at the scene.

The Metropolitan Police helicopter has also flown to the area to assist the fire brigade.

Firefighters could be seen standing on a gas tank. (Pic: @mark_fellows)

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Delhi Gang Rape: Teenager Found Guilty

A teenager has been found guilty of the gang rape and murder of a 23-year-old student on a bus in New Delhi last year.

The verdict is the first handed down in a case which shocked the world in its brutality and led to widespread protests over sex crimes against women in India.

Police outside the juvenile court

The physiotherapy student died of internal injuries after being raped and assaulted with an iron bar.

It is alleged that six men took part in the attack on the night of December 16, 2012. Her male companion was also beaten up before both were thrown from the bus.

The 18-year-old has been sentenced to three years in a correction facility - the maximum penalty he could be given. The sentence will include the time he has already served custody.

The court case ended in July but the juvenile court had postponed the verdict for the youngest defendant, 17 at the time, four times.

"He has been held guilty for rape and murder and sentenced to three years subject to review," Anil Sharma, the chief investigating officer in the case, told reporters outside the court in the capital.

The woman's mother emerged from the court in tears and said: "He got just three years ... from December onwards he has been given three years."

Her family had earlier called for the teenager to be given the death penalty, saying the juvenile justice system, which seeks to reform rather than punish, was too lenient.

During the trial the court heard that the teenager refuted the police charge sheet that he was the "most brutal" of all the six accused men.

His lawyers submitted there was no medical evidence to connect him to the charges and no fingerprints could be detected within the bus to show complicity.

A native of Uttar Pradesh, the suspect came to Delhi when he was 11.

He worked at a number of road side restaurants before taking up a cleaner's job on the bus. He told the court he was a victim of the alleged ringleader of the group, Ram Singh, for whom he worked and "was not paid by for months".

Singh, 34, killed himself in jail in March.

The trial of the four other suspects is taking place at a fast-track court in New Delhi.

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Mortar Device Found In Northern Ireland

Police in Northern Ireland say they have found a "mortar type device" near the village of Cullyhanna, County Armagh.

The discovery comes after a major security operation close to the Irish border, which has lasted for several days.

Soldiers have been using sniffer dogs and metal detectors to scour hedgerows and drainage ditches for signs of explosives.

The device was found in the area around Bog Road and Lisleitrim Road, where a number of houses had been evacuated.

It is being examined and made safe by a bomb disposal team.

Dominic Bradley, the Social Democratic and Labour Party MLA for Newry and Armagh, said: "The people of Cullyhanna, south Armagh and indeed the people of this island, want to be left in peace. Instead, those responsible still live in some warped existence of the past.

"There is palpable anger in the local community. They don't want this level of disruption as they go about their everyday lives.

"The community are relieved there have been no deaths or serious injury and they want those responsible to stop immediately."

Ulster Unionist MLA Danny Kennedy added: "I'm concerned at both the capability and the intent of those sinister elements behind this (device).

"It simply reinforces how important it is that local people give total support to the police and provide them with every assistance possible as they attempt to protect and serve the entire community."

The discovery comes after a mortar attack on a police station in Londonderry was foiled when security services stopped a van with four devices that were primed and ready to launch.

Mortars have also been found during security alerts in Belfast.

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Syria: Father Reunited With His 'Dead' Son

A Syrian father's nightmare is over after he learned the son he thought had been killed in a chemical weapons attack is alive.

Video has emerged of the moment the pair are reunited in a suburb of Zamalka, surround by friends and relatives.

The heart-warming film uploaded to YouTube shows the boy first being handed over to someone who appears to be a relative before his relieved father is given the news his son is alive.

Safe: the little boy is reunited with his father

As they are about to be reunited he is so overcome with joy and shock that his legs buckle and he bursts into tears.

Those around him shout "Allahu akbar" (God is great).

The man is so distraught and emotional his son has to be momentarily taken away from him while he composes himself.

Later in the video the boy is seen in his father's arms as he is kissed and hugged.

Some 1,300 Syrians are reported to have been killed in the attack in Damascus, with a further 3,600 treated for neurotoxic symptoms.

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Boston Bombing: New Photos Of Suspect Released

Dramatic new photos show Boston bombing suspect Dzhokhar Tsarnaev with his face bloodied as he surrenders.

Tsarnaev appears disoriented, his face illuminated by a floodlight, as he emerges from a boat in a suburban backyard moments before his arrest.

Some images show him slumped over the side of the boat, his arm covering his face.

The pictures, provided by a state police officer, were the second set of the hunt for Tsarnaev to be published by Boston Magazine.

Three were killed and hundreds injured in the April 15 bombings

Authorities say Tsarnaev and his older brother Tamerlan masterminded the April 15 Boston Marathon bombings, which left three people dead and more than 260 injured.

Tsarnaev, 20 has pleaded not guilty to charges including using a weapon of mass destruction to kill. He is being held at a prison medical facility in Devens, Massachusetts.

His older brother died in a shoot-out with police.

Dzhokhar Tsarnaev has pleaded not guilty

The surgeon who treated Tsarnaev after his capture said he had been shot in the face and had a fractured skull, among other injuries.

Sergeant Sean Murphy took photos the April night police cornered Tsarnaev in a dry-docked boat in Watertown, just outside Boston.

He was not authorised to release the pictures but said he was angry about a Rolling Stone magazine cover he felt glamorised Tsarnaev.

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Syria: 'Britain Helped Rebels Use Chemicals'

Britain, the US and France helped "terrorists" use chemical weapons in Syria, says the country's deputy foreign minister.

The claims comes as David Cameron tweeted that today's 'war talks' at Downing Street had "agreed unanimously that the use of chemical weapons by Assad was unacceptable - and the world should not stand by".

The Prime Minister was chairing a meeting of the National Security Council (NSC) where military commanders were helping draw up plans for missile strikes against Syria.

UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon has urged all sides to prioritise a diplomatic solution and said his team needs until Sunday to establish the full facts of the alleged chemical attack.

David Cameron cut short his holiday to return for the talks

Britain has also drafted a United Nations resolution condemning the attack and "authorising all necessary measures".

It will be put forward when the five permanent members of the UN Security Council meet in New York later.

This afternoon's NSC meeting at Downing Street was expected to discuss the intelligence gathered by UN inspectors from their initial visit to Mouadamiya, the site of last week's suspected chemical weapons attack that allegedly killed more than 1,300.

General Sir Nick Houghton, chief of the defence staff, was also expected to outline a series of options for targeted attacks.

It is understood the most likely military response would be a strike launched from US Navy warships against targets such as command and control bunkers.

The US Navy is repositioning several vessels in the eastern Mediterranean, including four cruise missile-carrying destroyers and a missile-firing submarine.

A UN weapons inspector visits wounded Syrians after the alleged gas attack

Military analysts have also suggested a British Trafalgar class submarine might be used as a potential launch platform.

However, some experts remain sceptical about whether limited strikes on tactical targets would provide a strong enough deterrent.

Defence analyst Francis Tusa told Sky News: "I'm not necessarily sure it puts any particular pressure on the regime to change its behaviour.

"Losing the odd bit of hardware that the Russians will replace for free doesn't seem to be that much of value."

Iran's Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei has also responded to the rising tensions.

More than 1,300 are said to have died as the result of the alleged attack

He reportedly said that US military intervention in Syria would be "a disaster for the region".

"The region is like a gunpowder store and the future cannot be predicted," Iran's ISNA agency quoted him as saying.

David Cameron and US President Barack Obama have agreed that "all the information available confirmed a chemical weapons attack had taken place", a Downing Street spokesperson said on Wednesday morning.

"They both agreed they were in no doubt that the Assad regime was responsible," said Number 10.

Parliament will be recalled on Thursday for a final vote on what action the UK should take.

Sky sources say a government motion is expected to call for "appropriate measures" but will not contain a timetable for action.

Speaking yesterday, Mr Cameron said action must be "proportionate, have to be legal, would have to specifically be about deterring the use of chemical weapons".

Foreign Secretary William Hague was at the NSC meeting

Decisions about British involvement have not been taken, he said on Tuesday, adding Parliament was the "right place to set out all of the arguments".

"We shouldn't stand by when we see this massive use of chemical weapons and appalling levels of suffering," he said.

"But I would say this to people - there is never 100% certainty, there is never one piece or several pieces of intelligence that give you absolute certainty.

"But what we know is this regime has huge stocks of chemical weapons. We know they have used them on at least 10 occasions prior to this last widescale use."

Labour leader Ed Miliband has indicated that his party would consider supporting international action if it was legal and had "clear and achievable goals".

A child is treated after the alleged chemcial attack

While political momentum towards intervention mounts, the British public has yet to be persuaded.

A YouGov survey for The Sun revealed that nearly three-quarters of people oppose the deployment of British troops to Syria.

And a majority of 3-1 believe the Government should be bound by Parliament's vote tomorrow.

Meanwhile, UN weapons inspectors arrived at the site of the alleged attacks on Wednesday morning, a day after suspending their mission over safety concerns.

The inspectors came under sniper fire when they began their operation on Monday.

Russia has confirmed it has started to pull its citizens out of Syria as the likelihood of military action increases.

It flew 89 people out of the country on Tuesday night and 28 more on Wednesday morning.

The country is strongly against the intervention, with Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov believing it would seriously destabilise the region.

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Miley Cyrus Performs In Bikini At MTV Awards

Justin Timberlake was the big winner at the MTV Video Music Awards (VMAs) but it was Miley Cyrus' raunchy routine which stole the show.

She appeared on stage with a troupe of teddy bears before changing into a nude-coloured bikini and dancing seductively with Robin Thicke during a performance of his summer hit Blurred Lines.

Timberlake, whose much-anticipated reunion with his 'N-Sync band mates provided one of the highlights of the night, won the coveted Video of the Year gong for his track Mirrors.

"I don't deserve this award," the 32-year-old, who picked up a hat trick of other prizes, said. "But I'm not going to give it back."

One Direction, fresh from the world premiere of their movie This Is Us, won Best Song of the Summer, while Bruno Mars scooped two awards - Best Male Video for Locked Out Of Heaven and Best Choreography for Treasure.

One Direction were winners, except in the eyes of Taylor Swift

Meanwhile, Taylor Swift picked out a former boyfriend for praise as she won Best Female Video for I Knew You Were Trouble.

The singer, who split with One Direction's Harry Styles earlier this year, said: "I want to thank the person who inspired this song, who knows exactly who he is, because I got one of these. Thank you so much."

Lady Gaga changed costumes four times as she opened the New York ceremony, although her performance lacked the shock value of previous VMAs, most notably the 2010 show at which she wore a dress made of raw meat.

Lady Gaga's dress sense was as controversial as ever

Katy Perry brought the event to a close, performing her new single Roar dressed as a boxer.

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North Sea Helicopter Crash: Bodies Returned

The bodies of three of the four oil workers who died when a helicopter plunged into the North Sea have been brought back to the mainland.

A passenger ferry carrying the bodies arrived at Aberdeen Harbour this morning.

 It is understood the fourth body will arrive on Tuesday.

The Super Puma helicopter was carrying 16 passengers and two crew from the Borgsten Dolphin platform when it crashed into the sea off Shetland on Friday evening, killing three men and one woman.

It is not yet known what caused the CHC-operated helicopter to crash as it approached Sumburgh airport on the southern tip of the main island.

It is not yet known what caused the crash

Tributes have been paid to the victims, named as Duncan Munro, 46, from Bishop Auckland, County Durham; George Allison, 57, from Winchester, Hampshire; Sarah Darnley, 45, from Elgin in the Highlands; and 59-year-old Gary McCrossan, from Inverness.

The wreckage is expected to be transported to shore later for examination by a team from the Air Accidents Investigation Branch.

Senior management staff from the helicopter's manufacturer, Eurocopter, have arrived in Aberdeen.

Guillaume Faury, Eurocopter's chief executive, said: "All of us at Eurocopter are deeply saddened by this accident. This is a tragedy for all of us.

"We express our deepest sympathies to the families, friends and colleagues of those who lost their lives. Our thoughts are with all those affected, including the workforce in the North Sea.

Dive vessel Bibby Polaris was involved in the salvage of the wreckage

"We also wish to acknowledge all those persons involved in the search-and-rescue operations. Their prompt and professional action saved many lives and for that we are sincerely thankful.

"At this point in time, limited technical information is available regarding the cause of this accident. Eurocopter's experts are in Aberdeen working closely with the investigation authorities to determine the cause."

It is hoped information on the helicopter's black box recorder will help establish the cause of the crash.

Super Puma flights to and from UK offshore installations have been suspended, prompting a meeting of oil and gas industry chiefs to discuss the impact on platform workers.

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Syria: UN Inspectors 'Shot At By Snipers'

Weapons inspectors investigating an alleged chemical attack in Damascus have been shot at by snipers, a spokesman for the UN has said.

The team's lead vehicle was "deliberately shot at multiple times" as they left a government checkpoint during a visit to part of the city where hundreds of people were allegedly killed, Martin Nesirky told Sky News.

None of the inspectors, who were dressed in body armour, are believed to have been injured in the attack, which came after two mortar bombs landed close to their hotel.

The UN's Angela Kane leaves the inspectors' hotel in Damascus

"The inspectors are determined to carry out the mission they are mandated to carry out," Mr Nesirky said.

"But it's obvious that all sides need to extend their co-operation so they can conduct this work safely."

Mr Nesirky said it was not clear who was responsible for the sniper attack, although Bashar al Assad's regime blamed the bombings on rebel fighters.

After the shooting, the UN inspectors were able to change vehicles and are now meeting victims of the alleged chemical attack.

The Assad regime said the inspections in Zamalka and Ein Tarma districts will prove allegations that chemical weapons were used against civilians, including children, were "lies".

The opposition claimed 1,300 people were killed, while Doctors Without Borders said 355 people died in hospital from "neurotoxic" symptoms.

UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-Moon said the people of Syria deserved to know the truth, adding: "We cannot allow impunity in what appears to be a grave crime against humanity."

Doctors Without Borders said 355 people died in the alleged attack

However, defence expert Chris Bellamy told Sky News that while the UN inspection may reveal whether chemical weapons were used, it may not identify who they were used by.

"If that's the case, we would need another investigation to identify who fired the shells," he said.

The international community continues to consider its response to the crisis, with the Foreign Secretary warning military action may be the only remaining option.

William Hague said Britain and other countries could respond to the alleged attack without the unanimous backing of the UN, telling the BBC: "Otherwise it might be impossible to respond to such outrages, such crimes."

Bashar al Assad denied his regime had used chemical weapons

His comments came as David Cameron announced he was cutting short his holiday to chair a meeting of the UK's National Security Committee.

Shadow foreign secretary Douglas Alexander urged the Prime Minister to recall Parliament to "make his case in advance of a decision being made".

A Downing Street spokesman insisted no decisions had been taken on military action and said there was no clear timetable.

Meanwhile, French politicians are preparing to meet "in the coming days" to decide whether to respond with force, according to the country's foreign minister Laurent Fabius.

There is mounting speculation that France, together with Britain and the US, could back limited airstrikes to demonstrate that deployment of chemical weapons will not be tolerated.

However, Mr Assad said military intervention by the US would fail.

"Failure awaits the United States as in all previous wars it has unleashed," the Syrian president said in an interview with Russian newspaper Izvestia.

Describing the chemical weapons accusations as "nonsense", Mr Assad added: "Would any state use chemical or any other weapons of mass destruction in a place where its own forces are concentrated? That would go against elementary logic.

"Accusations of this kind are entirely political and the reason for them is the government forces' series of victories over the terrorists."

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Dale Cregan: Police Killer 'On Hunger Strike'

Convicted police killer Dale Cregan is reportedly on a hunger strike in a protest against being kept apart from other inmates.

The 30-year-old is serving a whole life sentence at HMP Full Sutton after being jailed in June for four murders.

Cregan gunned down unarmed policewomen Fiona Bone, 32, and Nicola Hughes, 23, after luring them to a house last September.

He also killed father and son David and Mark Short in twin attacks earlier in 2012.

Cregan is said to have started refusing food after the prison turned down his request to mix with other inmates, according to the Manchester Evening News.

One-eyed Cregan is also understood to be unhappy being at the Yorkshire prison as he wants a move to Strangeways so he can be closer to family.

Cregan has been segregated from other inmates because of concerns over his safety as reports suggest there is an underworld reward of £20,000 for anyone who damages his remaining eye.

A Ministry of Justice spokesperson could not confirm or deny the reports.

In a statement it said: "We do not comment on individuals.

"We take food refusal extremely seriously. If a prisoner chooses to refuse food for any reason, the Prison Service works with healthcare staff to monitor their physical and mental health.

"Prisoners who are considered mentally capable are entitled to refuse health interventions, provided they fully understand the consequences of their decision."

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