LONDON [MENL] -- Syria's strongman Assaf Chawkat has been promoted to his first major security post. Western diplomatic sources said Chawkat, the brother-in-law of Syrian President Bashar Assad, was appointed late last year to the post of deputy chief of the military security department. Military security is regarded as the most important security agency in Syria and ensures the loyalty of all forces in the country. The commander of military security is Hassan Khalil. He is expected to retire sometime in 2003 and Chawkat could then head the agency. "This new appointment formalizes Chawkat's power," a senior diplomatic source said. "Until now, Chawkat pulled the strings in the military and security agencies through his connections with Assad. Now he is moving out from behind the scenes and into the open."
Until he gets too big for his britches, anyway... Or he's strong enough to "retire" Bashir. |