TURKEY/FILE: A Syrian forensic expert who defected to Turkey last month says he has documents confirming President Bashar al-Assad's government had used chemical weapons near Aleppo in March, and called their use 'cold murder'

Record ID: 858184

  • Title: TURKEY/FILE: A Syrian forensic expert who defected to Turkey last month says he has documents confirming President Bashar al-Assad's government had used chemical weapons near Aleppo in March, and called their use 'cold murder'
  • Date: 10th September 2013
  • Summary: ISTANBUL, TURKEY (SEPTEMBER 10, 2013) (REUTERS) SYRIAN NATIONAL COUNCIL SECRETARY GENERAL BADR JARMOUS HOLDING NEWS CONFERENCE (SOUNDBITE) (Arabic) SYRIAN NATIONAL COALITION SECRETARY GENERAL BADR JARMOUS SAYING: "In terms of the Russian proposal, this will only stall people so that regime might use and buy and gain time, so the conditions might change in the future and they have done that lots of time in the past" NEWS CONFERENCE IN PROGRESS (SOUNDBITE) (Arabic) SYRIAN NATIONAL COALITION SECRETARY GENERAL BADR JARMOUS SAYING: "International laws requires international response and crimes against humanity cannot go unpunished. These kind of crimes shouldn't go unpunished because of certain political consents" CAMERAMEN FILMING (SOUNDBITE) (Arabic) DEFECTED HEAD OF FORENSICS COMMITTEE IN ALEPPO DOCTOR ABDULTAWAB SHAHROUR SAYING: "I have decided to defect from this regime since the first attack in Aleppo that is more than 10 months ago where bodies of victims were coming in huge numbers, these kinds of death we haven't seen before" NEWS CONFERENCE UNDERWAY (SOUNDBITE) (Arabic) DEFECTED HEAD OF FORENSICS COMMITTEE IN ALEPPO DOCTOR ABDULTAWAB SHAHROUR SAYING: "I reviewed everything and I have seen these massacres and I said that logic indicates that they are responsible. Everything that I said I have seen. I ask you colleague who do you blame? I know that you have logic as well"
  • Embargoed: 25th September 2013 13:00
  • Keywords:
  • Location: Turkey
  • City:
  • Country: Turkey
  • Topics: Conflict,General
  • Reuters ID: LVAC6ZHWUP54XADJ1XOBA3KRCGO6
  • Aspect Ratio:
  • Story Text: Abdeltawwab Shahrour, head of the forensic medicine committee in Aleppo, on Tuesday (September 10) appeared in public for the first time since his defection to Turkey was confirmed by the Istanbul-based Syrian opposition coalition a week ago.
    Shahrour failed to show up at a planned news conference last Tuesday due to concerns over his safety, the coalition said.
    He told reporters in Istanbul that he had evidence of the March 19 chemical attack in Khan al-Assal near Aleppo.
    Washington is considering military strikes over a another alleged chemical weapons attack near Damascus last month that killed hundreds of people, although Russia this week proposed an alternative plan to win Syria a reprieve.

    "We have examined thousands of bodies of victims which the head of forensic medicine received in Aleppo," Shahrour said. "I thought that was cold murder. I contacted some of the rebels and documented these crimes.
    An attack at Khan al-Assal in the northern province of Aleppo killed more than two dozen people. Both the government and rebels have blamed each other for what they say was an attack involving chemical weapons.
    Russia, which alongside Iran is Syria's closest ally and chief arms supplier, said in July its own scientific analysis indicated the attack had involved the nerve agent sarin and had most likely been carried out by the rebels.
    Shahrour said he decided to defect 10 months ago but only managed to begin his escape on Aug. 15, when he was brought to a safe house inside Syria in cooperation with the rebels. He arrived in Turkey three days later.
    Rebels fighting Assad's forces brought his family to Turkey later. He denied reports he had been kidnapped.
  • Copyright Holder: REUTERS
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