(Reuters) - International investigators have said for the first time that they suspect President Bashar al-Assad and his brother are responsible for the use of chemical weapons in the Syrian conflict, according to a document seen by Reuters.

Syria's President Bashar al-Assad speaks to French journalists in Damascus, Syria, in this handout picture provided by SANA on January 9, 2017. SANA/Handout via REUTERS

A joint inquiry for the United Nations and global watchdog the Organisation for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons (OPCW) had previously identified only military units and did not name any commanders or officials.

Now a list has been produced of individuals whom the investigators have linked to a series of chlorine bomb attacks in 2014-15 - including Assad, his younger brother Maher and other high-ranking figures - indicating the decision to use toxic weapons came from the very top, according to a source familiar with the inquiry.

The Assads could not be reached for comment but a Syrian government official said accusations that government forces had used chemical weapons had “no basis in truth”. The government has repeatedly denied using such weapons during the civil war, which is almost six years old, saying all the attacks highlighted by the inquiry were the work of rebels or the Islamic State militant group.

The list, which has been seen by Reuters but has not been made public, was based on a combination of evidence compiled by the U.N.-OPCW team in Syria and information from Western and regional intelligence agencies, according to the source, who declined to be identified due to the sensitivity of the issue.

Reuters was unable to independently review the evidence or to verify it.

The U.N.-OPCW inquiry - known as the Joint Investigative Mechanism (JIM) - is led by a panel of three independent experts, supported by a team of technical and administrative staff. It is mandated by the U.N. Security Council to identify individuals and organizations responsible for chemical attacks in Syria.

Virginia Gamba, the head of the Joint Investigative Mechanism, denied any list of individual suspects had yet been compiled by the inquiry.

“There are no ... identification of individuals being considered at this time,” she told Reuters by email.

The use of chemical weapons is banned under international law and could constitute a war crime. (For graphic on chemical attacks in Syria, click tmsnrt.rs/2cukvFr)

While the inquiry has no judicial powers, any naming of suspects could lead to their prosecution. Syria is not a member of the International Criminal Court (ICC), but alleged war crimes could be referred to the court by the Security Council - although splits among global powers over the war make this a distant prospect at present.

“The ICC is concerned about any country where crimes are reported to be committed,” a spokesman for the court said when asked for comment. “Unless Syria accepts the ICC jurisdiction, the only way that (the) ICC would have jurisdiction over the situation would be through a referral by the Security Council.”

The list seen by Reuters could form the basis for the inquiry team’s investigations this year, according to the source. It is unclear whether the United Nations or OPCW will publish the list separately.

‘HIGHEST LEVELS’

The list identifies 15 people “to be scrutinized in relation to use of CW (chemical weapons) by Syrian Arab Republic Armed Forces in 2014 and 2015”. It does not specify what role they are suspected of playing, but lists their titles.

It is split into three sections. The first, titled “Inner Circle President” lists six people including Assad, his brother who commands the elite 4th Armoured Division, the defense minister and the head of military intelligence.

The second section names the air force chief as well as four commanders of air force divisions. They include the heads of the 22nd Air Force Division and the 63rd Helicopter Brigade, units that the inquiry has previously said dropped chlorine bombs.

The third part of the list - “Other relevant Senior Mil Personnel” - names two colonels and two major-generals.

Hamish de Bretton-Gordon, an independent specialist in biological and chemical weapons who monitors Syria, told Reuters the list reflected the military chain of command.

“The decisions would be made at the highest levels initially and then delegated down. Hence the first use would need to be authorized by Assad,” said de Bretton-Gordon, a former commander of British and NATO chemical and biological defense divisions who frequently visits Syria for professional consultancy work.

The Syrian defense ministry and air force could not be reached for comment.

CHLORINE BARREL BOMBS

Syria joined the international Chemical Weapons Convention under a U.S.-Russian deal that followed the deaths of hundreds of civilians in a sarin gas attack in Ghouta on the outskirts of Damascus in August 2013.

It was the deadliest use of chemicals in global warfare since the 1988 Halabja massacre at the end of the Iran-Iraq war, which killed at least 5,000 people in Iraqi Kurdistan.

The Syrian government, which denied its forces were behind the Ghouta attack, also agreed to hand over its declared stockpile of 1,300 tonnes of toxic weaponry and dismantle its chemical weapons program under international supervision.

The United Nations and OPCW have been investigating whether Damascus is adhering to its commitments under the agreement, which averted the threat of U.S.-led military intervention.

The bodies appointed the panel of experts to conduct the inquiry, and its mandate runs until November. The panel published a report in October last year which said Syrian government forces used chemical weapons at least three times in 2014-2015 and that Islamic State used mustard gas in 2015.

The October report identified Syria’s 22nd Air Force Division and 63rd Helicopter Brigade as having dropped chlorine bombs and said people “with effective control in the military units ... must be held accountable”.

The source familiar with the inquiry said the October report had clearly established the institutions responsible and that the next step was to go after the individuals.

Washington on Thursday blacklisted 18 senior Syrian officials based on the U.N.-OPCW inquiry’s October report - some of whom also appear on the list seen by Reuters - but not Assad or his brother.

Slideshow (5 Images)

The issue of chemical weapons use in Syria has become a deeply political one, and the U.N.-OPCW inquiry’s allegations of chlorine bomb attacks by government forces have split the U.N. Security Council’s veto-wielding members.

The United States, Britain and France have called for sanctions against Syria, while Assad’s ally Russia has said the evidence presented is insufficient to justify such measures.

A Security Council resolution would be required to bring Assad and other senior Syrian officials before the International Criminal Court for any possible war crimes prosecution - something Russia would likely block.</s>The United States has blacklisted 18 senior Syrian officials it said were connected to the country's weapons of mass destruction program, after an international investigation found Syrian government forces were responsible for chlorine gas attacks against civilians.

The action marked the first time the US has sanctioned Syrian military officials for the Government's use of chemical weapons, according to a Treasury Department statement.

A joint inquiry last year by the United Nations and the Organisation for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons (OPCW) reportedly found Syrian government forces were responsible for three chlorine gas attacks and that Islamic State militants had used mustard gas.

Chlorine's use as a weapon is banned under the Chemical Weapons Convention, which Syria joined in 2013.

If inhaled, chlorine gas turns into hydrochloric acid in the lungs and can kill by burning lungs and drowning victims in the resulting body fluids.

Syrian President Bashar al-Assad's government has denied its forces have used chemical weapons.

"We condemn in the strongest possible terms the Syrian regime's use of chemical weapons," Ned Price, a White House National Security Council spokesman, said in a statement.

Following the reports of the international inquiry, Britain and France reportedly circulated a draft resolution to the UN Security Council in December that would ban the sale or supply of helicopters to the Syrian Government and blacklist 11 Syrian military commanders and officials over chemical weapons attacks during the nearly six-year war.

A vote on the draft resolution has not yet been set, but diplomats said Syrian ally Russia, one of five council veto powers, has made clear it opposed the measures.

Ten of the individuals sanctioned by the United States on Thursday are listed for designation in the draft resolution, which — if adopted — would subject them to a global travel ban and asset freeze.

Russian UN Ambassador Vitaly Churkin said in November there was "just not enough material proof to do anything" and described the French and British bid to impose UN sanctions as a "misplaced effort".

Syria agreed to destroy its chemical weapons in 2013 under a deal brokered by Moscow and Washington.

The Security Council backed that deal with a resolution that said in the event of non-compliance, "including unauthorised transfer of chemical weapons, or any use of chemical weapons by anyone" in Syria, it would impose measures that could include sanctions.</s>Back in 2013, the catalyst used by the US to intervene in the Syrian conflict which started in the aftermath of the Arab Spring (which according to some was inspired by CIA intervention), was a YouTube clip allegedly showing a sarin gas attack by Assad troops on his own people in the town of Ghouta, which reportedly led to hundreds of casualties. Subsequently, the video was shown to have been a hoax, but by then it was too late as the US was actively involved in the proxy war, which in the summer of 2013 nearly escalated to a naval conflict between the US and Russia. The war has since continued, although it may be finally tapering now that the Obama administration is on its way out.

However, in a surprising twist perhaps meant to perpetuate the conflict, Reuters today reported that international investigators for the first time suspect President Bashar al-Assad and his brother “are responsible for the use of chemical weapons in the Syrian conflict.”

A joint inquiry for the United Nations and global watchdog the Organisation for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons (OPCW) had previously identified only military units and did not name any commanders or officials. Now a list has been produced of individuals whom the investigators have linked to a series of chlorine bomb attacks in 2014-15 – including Assad, his younger brother Maher and other high-ranking figures – indicating the decision to use toxic weapons came from the very top, according to a source familiar with the inquiry.

As one would expect, Syrian government official said accusations that government forces had used chemical weapons had “no basis in truth”. The government has repeatedly denied using such weapons during the civil war, which is almost six years old, saying all the attacks highlighted by the inquiry were the work of rebels or the Islamic State militant group.

The list, which has been seen by Reuters but has not been made public, was based on a combination of evidence compiled by the U.N.-OPCW team in Syria and information from Western and regional intelligence agencies, according to the source, who declined to be identified due to the sensitivity of the issue.

In other words, yet another “confidential” report with unsubstantiated findings, very much like what the US intelligence agencies used to blame Russia for “hacking the US elections”, is about to be emerge in the public arena, and once again it will serve to stir up public anger at Assad who is now well on his way to winning the Syrian conflict, following the recent takeover of Aleppo.

Who is behind the allegation?

While the narrative has not yet been formalized, the charge, once it emerges, will be serious as use of chemical weapons is banned under international law and could constitute a war crime, and while the inquiry has no judicial powers, any naming of suspects could lead to their prosecution. Syria is not a member of the International Criminal Court, but alleged war crimes could be referred to the court by the Security Council – although splits among global powers over the war make this a distant prospect at present.

As Reuters adds, the list could form the basis for the inquiry team’s investigations this year, according to the source. It is unclear whether the United Nations or OPCW will publish the list separately.

The list identifies 15 people “to be scrutinized in relation to use of CW (chemical weapons) by Syrian Arab Republic Armed Forces in 2014 and 2015”. It does not specify what role they are suspected of playing, but lists their titles. It is split into three sections. The first, titled “Inner Circle President” lists six people including Assad, his brother who commands the elite 4th Armoured Division, the defense minister and the head of military intelligence. The second section names the air force chief as well as four commanders of air force divisions. They include the heads of the 22nd Air Force Division and the 63rd Helicopter Brigade, units that the inquiry has previously said dropped chlorine bombs. The third part of the list – “Other relevant Senior Mil Personnel” – names two colonels and two major-generals.

Effectively the list is nothing more than the Russia hacking intel report, however applied to Assad and chemical weapons, a familiar, recycled trope. Hamish de Bretton-Gordon, an independent specialist in biological and chemical weapons who monitors Syria, told Reuters the list reflected the military chain of command. “The decisions would be made at the highest levels initially and then delegated down. Hence the first use would need to be authorized by Assad,” said de Bretton-Gordon, a former commander of British and NATO chemical and biological defense divisions who frequently visits Syria for professional consultancy work.

Syria joined the international Chemical Weapons Convention under a U.S.-Russian deal that followed the Ghouta fiasco. The Syrian government, which denied its forces were behind the Ghouta attack, also agreed to hand over its declared stockpile of 1,300 tonnes of toxic weaponry and dismantle its chemical weapons program under international supervision.

The United Nations and OPCW have been investigating whether Damascus is adhering to its commitments under the agreement, which averted the threat of U.S.-led military intervention.

Back then, the Syrian government, which denied its forces were behind the Ghouta attack, agreed to hand over its declared stockpile of 1,300 tonnes of toxic weaponry and dismantle its chemical weapons program under international supervision.

The October report identified Syria’s 22nd Air Force Division and 63rd Helicopter Brigade as having dropped chlorine bombs and said people “with effective control in the military units … must be held accountable”.

And, as Reuters concludes, the source familiar with the inquiry said the October report had clearly established the institutions responsible and that the next step was to go after the individuals, a list which includes the president of Syria.

It remains to be seen what, if any, interest Trump will have to launch action against Assad and Syria once the allegation is made public. In the past Assad has said he will end US support for Syrian rebels, the natural opponent of the Assad regime, while in November, Assad called Trump a “natural ally” in the fight against terrorism. In a interview Assad said that while allowing that what he called “opposing forces within the administration” could cast doubt on whether Mr. Trump “can deliver on his promises,” Assad said that “if he fights the terrorists, it is clear that we will be a natural ally, together with the Russians, Iranians and many other countries who want to defeat the terrorists.”

Finally, at the same time as the Reuters report hit, Russia’s foreign ministry, cited by Interfax, said that terrorists in Syria, Iraq are using chemical weapons.</s>WASHINGTON The United States on Thursday blacklisted 18 senior Syrian officials it said were connected to the country's weapons of mass destruction program, after an international investigation found Syrian government forces were responsible for chlorine gas attacks against civilians.The action marked the first time the United States has sanctioned Syrian military officials for the government's use of chemical weapons, according to a Treasury Department statement.A joint inquiry by the United Nations and the Organization for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons (OPCW) found that Syrian government forces were responsible for three chlorine gas attacks and that Islamic State militants had used mustard gas, according to reports seen by Reuters in August and October.Chlorine's use as a weapon is banned under the Chemical Weapons Convention, which Syria joined in 2013. If inhaled, chlorine gas turns into hydrochloric acid in the lungs and can kill by burning lungs and drowning victims in the resulting body fluids. Syrian President Bashar al-Assad's government has denied its forces have used chemical weapons.

"We condemn in the strongest possible terms the Syrian regime's use of chemical weapons," Ned Price, a White House National Security Council spokesman, said in a statement. "The Assad regime's barbaric continued attacks demonstrate its willingness to defy basic standards of human decency, its international obligations, and longstanding global norms."Following the reports of the international inquiry, Britain and France circulated a draft resolution to the U.N. Security Council in December that would ban the sale or supply of helicopters to the Syrian government and blacklist 11 Syrian military commanders and officials over chemical weapons attacks during the nearly six-year war.

A vote on the draft resolution has not yet been set, but diplomats said Syrian ally Russia, one of five council veto powers, has made clear it opposed the measures.Ten of the individuals sanctioned by the United States on Thursday are listed for designation in the draft resolution, which – if adopted - would subject them to a global travel ban and asset freeze.

Russian U.N. Ambassador Vitaly Churkin said in November that there was "just not enough material proof to do anything" and described the French and British bid to impose U.N. sanctions as a "misplaced effort."Syria agreed to destroy its chemical weapons in 2013 under a deal brokered by Moscow and Washington. The Security Council backed that deal with a resolution that said in the event of non-compliance, "including unauthorized transfer of chemical weapons, or any use of chemical weapons by anyone" in Syria, it would impose measures that could include sanctions. (Reporting by Michelle Nichols and Yeganeh Torbati; Editing by Chizu Nomiyama and Jonathan Oatis)

This story has not been edited by Firstpost staff and is generated by auto-feed.</s>The United States on Thursday blacklisted 18 senior Syrian officials it said were connected to the country’s weapons of mass destruction program, after an international investigation found Syrian government forces were responsible for chlorine gas attacks against civilians.

The action marked the first time the United States has sanctioned Syrian military officials for the government’s use of chemical weapons, according to a Treasury Department statement.

A joint inquiry by the United Nations and the Organization for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons (OPCW) found that Syrian government forces were responsible for three chlorine gas attacks and that Islamic State militants had used mustard gas, according to reports seen by Reuters in August and October.

Chlorine’s use as a weapon is banned under the Chemical Weapons Convention, which Syria joined in 2013. If inhaled, chlorine gas turns into hydrochloric acid in the lungs and can kill by burning lungs and drowning victims in the resulting body fluids.

Syrian President Bashar al-Assad’s government has denied its forces have used chemical weapons.

“We condemn in the strongest possible terms the Syrian regime’s use of chemical weapons,” Ned Price, a White House National Security Council spokesman, said in a statement. “The Assad regime’s barbaric continued attacks demonstrate its willingness to defy basic standards of human decency, its international obligations, and longstanding global norms.”

Following the reports of the international inquiry, Britain and France circulated a draft resolution to the U.N. Security Council in December that would ban the sale or supply of helicopters to the Syrian government and blacklist 11 Syrian military commanders and officials over chemical weapons attacks during the nearly six-year war.

A vote on the draft resolution has not yet been set, but diplomats said Syrian ally Russia, one of five council veto powers, has made clear it opposed the measures.

Ten of the individuals sanctioned by the United States on Thursday are listed for designation in the draft resolution, which – if adopted – would subject them to a global travel ban and asset freeze.

Russian U.N. Ambassador Vitaly Churkin said in November that there was “just not enough material proof to do anything” and described the French and British bid to impose U.N. sanctions as a “misplaced effort.”</s>DAMASCUS: International investigators have said for the first time that they suspect President Bashar al-Assad and his brother are responsible for the use of chemical weapons in the Syrian conflict, according to a document seen by Reuters.

A joint inquiry for the United Nations and global watchdog the Organisation for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons (OPCW) had previously identified only military units and did not name any commanders or officials.

Now a list has been produced of individuals whom the investigators have linked to a series of chlorine bomb attacks in 2014-15 - including Assad, his younger brother Maher and other high-ranking figures - indicating the decision to use toxic weapons came from the very top, according to a source familiar with the inquiry.

The Assads could not be reached for comment but a Syrian government official said accusations that government forces had used chemical weapons had “no basis in truth”.

The government has repeatedly denied using such weapons during the civil war, which is almost six years old, saying all the attacks highlighted by the inquiry were the work of rebels or the Islamic State militant group.

The list, which has been seen by Reuters but has not been made public, was based on a combination of evidence compiled by the UN-OPCW team in Syria and information from Western and regional intelligence agencies, according to the source, who declined to be identified due to the sensitivity of the issue.

Reuters was unable to independently review the evidence or to verify it.

The UN-OPCW inquiry - known as the Joint Investigative Mechanism - is led by a panel of three independent experts, supported by a team of technical and administrative staff.

It is mandated by the UN Security Council to identify individuals and organisations responsible for chemical attacks in Syria.

Virginia Gamba, the head of the Joint Investigative Mechanism, denied any list of individual suspects had yet been compiled by the inquiry.

“There are no ...identification of individuals being considered at this time,” she told Reuters by email.

The use of chemical weapons is banned under international law and could constitute a war crime.

While the inquiry has no judicial powers, any naming of suspects could lead to their prosecution.

Syria is not a member of the International Criminal Court, but alleged war crimes could be referred to the court by the Security Council - although splits among global powers over the war make this a distant prospect at present.

The list could form the basis for the inquiry team’s investigations this year, according to the source.

It is unclear whether the United Nations or OPCW will publish the list separately.

The list identifies 15 people “to be scrutinized in relation to use of CW (chemical weapons) by Syrian Arab Republic Armed Forces in 2014 and 2015”.

It does not specify what role they are suspected of playing, but lists their titles.

It is split into three sections.

The first, titled “Inner Circle President” lists six people including Assad, his brother who commands the elite 4th Armoured Division, the defence minister and the head of military intelligence. The second section names the air force chief as well as four commanders of air force divisions.

They include the heads of the 22nd Air Force Division and the 63rd Helicopter Brigade, units that the inquiry has previously said dropped chlorine bombs.

The third part of the list - “Other relevant Senior Mil Personnel” - names two colonels and two major-generals.

Hamish de Bretton-Gordon, an independent specialist in biological and chemical weapons who monitors Syria, told Reuters the list reflected the military chain of command.

“The decisions would be made at the highest levels initially and then delegated down.

Assad linked to Syrian chemical attacks for first time was posted in World of TheNews International - https://www.thenews.com.pk on January 14, 2017 and was last updated on January 14, 2017. This news story is related to Print/178963-Assad-linked-to-Syrian-chemical-attacks-for-first-time/ - breaking news, latest news, pakistan ne. Permanent link to the news story "Assad linked to Syrian chemical attacks for first time" is https://www.thenews.com.pk/print/178963-Assad-linked-to-Syrian-chemical-attacks-for-first-time.</s>WASHINGTON — The Obama administration tightened sanctions against the Syrian regime Thursday in response to reports by international monitors that forces loyal to President Bashar Assad used chemical weapons in 2014 and 2015.

"We condemn in the strongest possible terms the Syrian regime’s use of chemical weapons," said Ned Price, a spokesman for the National Security Council. "The Assad regime’s barbaric continued attacks demonstrate its willingness to defy basic standards of human decency, its international obligations, and longstanding global norms."

A report last year by the United Nations and the Organization for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons found that the Syrian regime used chlorine gas as a weapon on at least three different occasions in its bloody, six-year-old civil war.

Syria's use of chemical weapons was the original "red line" that Obama warned in 2012 would draw the United States into military action against Assad. But when the Syrian dictator used sarin gas against civilians in 2013, Obama backed out, citing a lack of support from either Congress or the U.N. Security Council.

Syria then gave up its chemical weapons in a deal brokered by Russia and agreed to join the international Chemical Weapons Convention.

Though the United States has sanctioned Syria in the past, the sanctions announced Thursday are the first leveled against Syria for its use of chemical weapons.

Targeted is a Syrian company, the Organization for Technological Industries, which the Treasury Department says is part of the Syrian government and responsible for deploying surface-to-surface missile and rocket programs and working toward a ballistic missile program. The department also moved to block the assets of 18 people associated with the company, and with related research, intelligence and military organizations.</s>US sanctions 18 over Syrian chemical weapons use – White House

The United States announced sanctions Thursday against 18 senior Syrian military officers and officials over the use of chemical weapons.

“We condemn in the strongest possible terms the Syrian regime’s use of chemical weapons,” said National Security Council spokesman Ned Price.

The post US sanctions 18 over Syrian chemical weapons use – White House appeared first on Vanguard News.

This post was syndicated from Vanguard News. Click here to read the full text on the original website.

Also, Like us on facebook</s>Reuters is reporting that international investigators have said for the first time they suspect Syrian President Bashar al-Assad and his brother were responsible for the use of chemical weapons during the conflict in Syria.

Previous reports prepared for the UN and the Organization for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons (OPCW) had only identified military units without naming specific individuals.

The news agency reported on January 13 that a list has now been produced of individuals linked by investigators to chlorine bomb attacks in 2014-15.

Assad, his younger brother Maher, and other high-ranking figures are included on the list, which Reuters said it has seen but which has not been made public.

The list was based on evidence gathered by a UN-OPCW team in Syria and from Western and regional intelligence agencies, according to Reuters, which said it was unable to independently review or verify the evidence.

Reuters said the Assads could not be reached for comment, but it cited a Syrian government official as saying accusations that government forces had used chemical weapons had "no basis in truth."</s>International investigators have said for the first time that they suspect President Bashar al-Assad and his brother are responsible for the use of chemical weapons in the Syrian conflict, according to a document seen by Reuters. Syria's President Bashar al-Assad speaks to French journalists in Damascus, Syria, in this handout picture provided by SANA on January 9, 2017.

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The Organisation for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons says, for the first time, that they suspect Syrian President Bashar al-Assad and other senior officials of the Syrian government are responsible for the use of chemical weapons in the conflict.