Abdul Basit Sida, political committee member, described the clichéd talk about terrorism reiterated by Iran, the Iraqi government and the Assad regime ahead of Geneva II as “immoral attempts by the Assad regime to hammer home his political agenda at the international conference, after the Assad regime and its allies declared that the primary objective of the conference is fighting terrorism and not handing over of power.” Sida also said that the Assad regime “not only killed the Syrian people to hold on to power, but also started killing the Russian and the Lebanese people in order to mislead the international community and the entire world and to persuade them that the real conflict in Syria is with terrorism and not with the Syrian people.” Sida was referring to the terrorist bombings that hit Russian and southern Beirut, one of Hezbollah’s most important strongholds. Furthermore, Luay Mekdad, FSA’s political and media coordinator didn’t rule out Assad regime’s complicity in these terrorist bombings, stressing that the Assad regime has been trying hard to persuade the international community into believing its claims.” Mekdad went on: “If you see terror acts and bloodshed plaguing the region, and if you want to know who stands behind it, then keep Bashar al Assad in mind.” Mekdad accused Assad of exporting terror through his “transnational terrorist networks, in an attempt to export the political and existential crisis he has been facing.” Mekdad concluded his statement saying that “Assad is willing to kill his own brother in order to hold on to power, let alone the Syrian, Lebanese, and even Russian citizens. Assad seeks to create an atmosphere of terrorism through these terrorist bombings fitting well with his political agenda ahead of Geneva II, instead of releasing detainees and the opening of humanitarian corridors and other requirements that are able to ensure the success of the international efforts to bring about a political solution.” (Source: Syrian Coalition)
