You have commented 339 times on Rantburg.

Your Name
Your e-mail (optional)
Website (optional)
My Original Nic        Pic-a-Nic        Sorry. Comments have been closed on this article.
Bold Italic Underline Strike Bullet Blockquote Small Big Link Squish Foto Photo
Submit your comments on this article
Syria-Lebanon-Iran
Syria moves intel headquarters to Hizbullah sector in Beirut
2005-03-13
Pro-democracy celebrations in Beirut may be premature.
Syria has moved its intelligence headquarters to a Beirut neighborhood controlled by Hizbullah. Lebanese opposition sources said the Syrian military moved office in Lebanon from the so-called Beaurivage to southern Beirut. The sources said the transfer was completed over the last week as part of an effort to lower the Syrian profile in Beirut and central Lebanon.

The sources said Syria maintains up to 50,000 intelligence agents — both Lebanese and Syrian — to ensure its control over its western neighbor. "The Syrians aren't going anywhere," an opposition source with connections in Lebanese intelligence said. "They are fusing with Hizbullah while pretending to pull out some troops from Lebanon."

The sources said the order to leave the Beaurivage was relayed by Gen. Rustom Ghazaleh, chief of Syrian intelligence in Lebanon. The operation was commanded by Ghazaleh's deputy, Gen. Mohammed Khalouf.

The Syrian move to the southern suburb of Beirut was part of heightened cooperation between Damascus and Hizbullah to maintain the Syrian military and intelligence presence in Lebanon. The Beaurivage continues to be under Syrian control, the sources said. But the building has been emptied of documents and equipment.

The Lebanese opposition, in an assertion confirmed by Western intelligence agencies, said Syria has been organizing a campaign to attack anti-regime elements. The opposition said Syrian intelligence plans to intimidate or assassinate anti-Syrian candidates for Lebanon's parliament in elections called for May 2005.
Standard operating procedure for the Syrian Ba'athists.
Another option raised by Lebanese and Western sources was that Syria would seek a Hizbullah provocation along the Israeli-Lebanese border over the next few weeks. The sources said Israel's military shared this assessment.
Posted by:Steve White

#6  Gotta sell a lot of eye charts to pay 50,000 intel agents.
Posted by: Seafarious   2005-03-13 9:45:31 PM  

#5  Given the size of the Syrian military, 50,000 intelligence agents seems a bit over the top.

From Global Securtiy:
In 2002, the Syrian army has roughly 215,000 soldiers. The generall readiness and effectiveness of the Syrian Army is fairly low despite the generally good readiness of its special forces, roughly two armored divisions, one mechanized division and the Republican Guard division. Syria has a significant quantity of armor numbering some 4,700 tanks, though 1,200 are placed in static defensive positions and another 2,000 are T-55s and T-62s. Syria does however have some 1,700 T-72/72Ms. Virtually all of Syria armored reconnaissance vehicles (600 BRDM-2s and 125 BRDM-2 RKHs) are out-dated as is their 2,000 BMP-1s, though the 200-350 BMP-2s and BMP-3s are more modern.
Posted by: RWV   2005-03-13 9:40:00 PM  

#4  This more visible Syrian cooperation with Hizbollah is risky for both. Hizbollah could doublecross Syria any day and visa versa.
Posted by: mhw   2005-03-13 12:32:33 PM  

#3  They still don't believe Bush n=means what he says. Everybody gets one strike.
Posted by: Mrs. Davis   2005-03-13 10:00:02 AM  

#2  Fishy!
Posted by: Shaing Elmoluper1664   2005-03-13 9:56:03 AM  

#1  Seems to me a "work accident" in the building is in order. And I'm sure they're working on lots of bombs there.... ;-)
Posted by: Barbara Skolaut   2005-03-13 1:04:55 AM  

00:00