Senior U.S. Official to Level Weapons Charges Against Syria

September 16, 2003
By JUDITH MILLER

WASHINGTON, Sept. 15 - The Bush administration says that despite pledges, Syria has not stopped militants from crossing into Iraq to kill American soldiers.

In testimony prepared for a House hearing on Tuesday, John R. Bolton, under secretary of state for arms control, says the administration is also concerned about what it sees as Syria's continuing support for terrorist groups like Hamas, and he reiterated accusations that Syria has an ambitious program to develop chemical, biological and nuclear weapons.

But Mr. Bolton's testimony says there is "no information" that Syria has transferred any unconventional weapons it may have to the terrorist groups it is said to support. He also says the administration "has been unable to confirm" reports that Iraq covertly transferred unconventional weapons it may have had to Syria "in an attempt to hide them from United Nations inspectors and coalition forces."

Syria has denied that it has unconventional weapons.

Mr. Bolton's assertion about the transfer of weapons, along with other parts of his testimony, renewed a prolonged debate within the administration, according to officials. The testimony - some will be given in public, the rest in a closed briefing - pitted officials who wanted a much tougher critique of Syria against those who wished to encourage Syria to honor its pledges.

Late last week, the testimony was cleared by the intelligence community and the White House. A copy of the public testimony, to the International Relations Subcommittee on the Middle East and Central Asia, was provided to The New York Times by individuals who feel that the accusations against Syria have received insufficient attention.

Mr. Bolton's suggestion that Syria is partly responsible for the attacks on American troops and his allegations of unconventional-weapons programs and support for terrorists reflect the administration's growing frustration that Damascus has not responded to demands that it curb such activities.

His testimony says Syria has taken "a series of hostile actions." Just before and during the war this spring, Syria "allowed military equipment to flow into Iraq," it says. "Syria permitted volunteers to pass into Iraq to attack and kill our service members during the war, and is still doing so," the prepared testimony says.

The administration has previously accused Syria of permitting foreign fighters to pass into Iraq. But Mr. Bolton's sharp criticism reflects what other officials have said is a particular concern about the impact of the reported Syrian action.

Defense Secretary Donald H. Rumsfeld told reporters who traveled with him to Iraq last week that of more than 200 foreign fighters captured in Iraq, the largest groups were those from Syria and Lebanon. One intelligence official said 60 to 70 percent of those detained were believed to be Syrian, based on identity cards or interrogations. Many were carrying large sums of money, a Defense Department official said.

A Pentagon official said that while Syria had done some things to limit militant cross-border traffic, "they have not done nearly enough."

The administration, under political pressure as American soldiers continue to die in Iraq, is trying to do whatever possible to stop foreign militants from entering Iraq.

But the cross-border traffic is only one irritant. "Although Damascus has increased its cooperation regarding Iraq since the fall of the Iraqi regime," Mr. Bolton's testimony says, "its behavior during Operation Iraqi Freedom underscores the importance of taking seriously reports and information on Syria's W.M.D. capabilities."

A former intelligence officer said, "We have to find some way of getting their attention," and referred specifically to a trip in May by Secretary of State Colin L. Powell and a subsequent visit by an assistant secretary of state in which President Bashar al-Assad promised to curb activities of concern to Washington, but then apparently did not do so.

Mr. Bolton declined to comment or elaborate on his planned testimony.

The testimony does not endorse a Congressional proposal that would require President Bush to impose economic sanctions on Syria. But senior officials said the administration would consider imposing such sanctions if Syria did not stop allowing "jihadis" to enter Iraq and trying to develop unconventional weapons.

In an interview, Representative Ileana Ros-Lehtinen of Florida, the chairwoman of the subcommittee, said Syria's "porous borders and the hatred for Americans are very disturbing."

"Syria can play an important role for regional stability, but it's doing just the opposite," she said.

Ms. Ros-Lehtinen is a co-sponsor of a bill that would require that sanctions be imposed against Syria unless it ended its reported weapons activities, its support for terrorism and its presence in Lebanon, where it has a substantial military role. She said the bill "gives the administration great leverage" against President Assad.

Mr. Bolton's description of Syria's weapons programs is consistent with earlier Central Intelligence Agency descriptions of Syria's efforts to acquire nuclear, chemical and biological weapons. But State Department officials said this is the first time the administration is presenting a somewhat detailed, public assessment of such activities.

Tensions between Washington and Damascus have flared in recent months. As major combat operations in Iraq wound down, administration officials, including President Bush, suggested Syria was harboring Iraqi officials who had fled (an accusation Syria denied) and was allowing remnants of Saddam Hussein's government to hide major weapons in Syria. The United States Army wounded and took into custody five Syrian border guards in June when it attacked what American officials said was an Iraqi convoy near the border.

The testimony also alleges that Syria has "a stockpile of the nerve agent sarin that can be delivered by aircraft or ballistic missiles, and has engaged in the research and development of more toxic and persistent nerve agents such as VX." Syria is not a party to the international treaty banning chemical weapons.

Syria, the statement asserts, "is continuing to develop an offensive biological weapons capability" and has not signed the treaty banning those weapons. The testimony also expresses concern about Syria's nuclear activities, noting that Russia and Syria "have approved a draft program on cooperation on civil nuclear power," expertise that could be applied to a weapons program.