Syria ex-Minister Says Shara 'Under House Arrest'
إقرأ هذا الخبر بالعربية
A former Syrian minister who defected last year said Saturday that it was "well-known" that Vice President Faruq al-Shara had tried to leave and was under house arrest.
The comments by former deputy oil minister Abdo Hussameddin came after the regime in Damascus denied opposition claims that Shara, the most senior Sunni Muslim official in President Bashar Assad's Alawite-led regime, had defected.
"Shara's position is well known. He has been trying to leave Syria," he told pan-Arab television al-Arabiya.
"But there are a series of circumstances that prevent him from leaving, especially the fact that he has been under house arrest for some time," he said, adding that top level officials in Syria were being kept under surveillance.
Hussameddin himself defected in March, one of a string of defections that has included former prime minister Riad Hijab and high profile General Manaf Tlass -- a childhood friend of Assad.
18 August 2012, 20:24
03
It's allright... The world knows his intentions. House arrest isn't that bad When compared to what happens the rebels and civilians.
19 August 2012, 04:40
00
Do you think the ASSad regime will again fall this year? If it does, then it will fall again in 2013, which will be the 7041st time to do so since 2005 if not before. And b the way, where did you get this cute photo of my hairy mandingo?
