Syria honors terrorist murderer Samir Kuntar

Syria confers highest medal on Kuntar
Nov. 24, 2008
Associated Press , THE JERUSALEM POST

 

Syrian President Bashar Assad has awarded murderer Samir Kuntar the country's highest medal for spending nearly three decades in an Israeli jail.

 

The Syrian News Agency said Kuntar, who murdered a young girl and her father, received the Syrian Order of Merit during a meeting with Assad in Damascus Monday.

 

On the same day, the country rejected US allegations that it is allowing terrorist networks to use its territory to attack Iraq.

 

US Embassy Charge d'Affaires Maura Connelly told a security conference of Iraq's neighbors held in Syria Sunday that terrorist groups continue to receive weapons, training, funding and guidance from abroad. She was apparently referring to Syria and Iran.

 

Washington has repeatedly accused both countries of allowing terrorists to cross into Iraq. In October, US forces raided a Syrian village over the border from Iraq in an operation that Washington said targeted an al-Qaida in Iraq leader.

 

A Japanese delegate who attended Sunday's conference quoted Connelly as saying in a closed session that "Syria is supporting and giving a safe haven to terrorist networks." The delegate spoke on condition of anonymity because of the sensitivity of the matter.

 

After the October 26 raid, American officials issued similarly tough statements, saying US forces were prepared to act if other nations did not. Syria protested the incursion and said eight civilians were killed.

 

"We strongly reject this talk," Syria's Deputy Foreign Minister Ahmed Arnous told The Associated Press Monday. "Syria doesn't accept such allegations, as it was among the first countries to work with the international community to combat terrorism."

 

In her public remarks Sunday, Connelly said terrorist groups driven out of Iraq continue to pose a threat and called on neighbors not to tolerate them. Specifically, she advocated joint training exercises to improve information sharing.