German Arms Smugglers Arrested in Syria

Syria has been hit by a series of bomb attacks in the capital of Damascus. The US and other imperialist states have led a destabilization effort against the Middle Eastern nation., a photo by Pan-African News Wire File Photos on Flickr.

Posted on June 20, 2012

German Arms Smugglers Arrested in Syria

300 Foreigners in Syrian Prisons

Christof Lehmann – nsnbc.

According to an article by Harald Pflueger (1) and an article by Christoph Hörstel over 40 German citizens have been arrested while attempting to smuggle arms and ammunitions from international waters on shore inside Syria.The arrest took reportedly place over two weeks ago.

The German arms smugglers are reportedly employees of a German, Stuttgart based “Security Firm” and have been deployed in Libya until recently. With the arrest of the 40 Germans the number of foreign employees of security firms, mercenaries and soldiers in Syrian prisons has grown to over 300. Among the arrested troops and mercenaries are reportedly also Portuguese Paratroopers.

nsnbc is today beginning an investigation in an attempt to:
■Identify which regiment the Portuguese paratroopers belong to.
■To identify and contact the Stuttgart based “Security Firm”.
■ To investigate if the State Prosecutor in Stuttgart, Germany, will initiate an investigation and prosecute the “Security Firm”.
■To investigate if any German government officials have been aware of or implicated in the smuggling of arms.

Arms trade and arms smuggling is not exactly comparable to maintaining a candy-shop. It is highly unlikely that any major arms deals and transports can take place without the involvement of “some” government agency and nsnbc encourages witnesses and/or whistle-blowers to come forward and contact nsnbc.

Previous examples of arms smuggling and the delivery of arms to the so-called Free Syrian Army are the involvement of the Saudi-Lebanese national and son of former Lebanese Prime Minister Rafiq Hariri, Saad Hariri. Hariri was already implemented in arms sales to Syria as far back as autumn 2011. (2)

Also the chairman of the Lebanese progressive Socialist Party Walid Jumblatt has been involved in smuggling arms. Jumblatt stood behind a 650.000 USD arms delivery of Israeli weapons and equipment via Raphael Industry. (3)

The Russian navy based at the Syrian naval base in Tartus has been operating a maritime anti terrorism unit for years. It is at the present time uncertain if the Russian anti terrorism unit has assisted in the arrest of the Germans by Syrian authorities.

Russia has recently reinforced it´s military presence in Tartus with additional anti ship and anti air defenses. It is likely that the increased presence of the Russian navy will make it more complicated to smuggle arms into the country by sea. The reinforcement of Rusiia´s military presence is also a clear signal to the West that a military intervention by the NATO/GCC/Israeli Alliance is unacceptable.(4)

Aware that Russia, China and Iran will respond to an overt military attack on Syria the arms smuggling may be part of an attempt to wage a war below the threshold that will warrant overt and all-out confrontation. Other analysts suggest that it is part of a strategy to bring about an all-out war.

The Iranian semi official news agency FARS recently released a yet unconfirmed report that Syria, Iran, Russia and China are planning a joint military exercise with the participation of 90.000 men from air-force, airborne, maritime, infantry and armored units, to start in early July. (5) Such military exercise would add an extra element of stability to the Syrian borders and make illegal arms shipments more difficult.

nsnbc encourages it´s readers, witnesses, whistle-blowers to come forward with information about illegal arms sales to insurgents in Syria. See “Appeal” below the article.

Christof Lehmann – nsnbc

20.06.2012

Notes:

1) Deutsche Waffenschmuggler in Syrien verhaftet. Harald Pflueger. http://haraldpflueger.com/de/blog/syrien/110553-deutsche-waffenschmuggler-in-syrien-verhaftet.html

2) Hariri Implicated in Arming NATO Insurgency in Syria. http://nsnbc.wordpress.com/2011/09/14/hariri-implicated-in-arming-nato-insurgency-in-syria/

3) Attack on Syria likely before March ? http://nsnbc.wordpress.com/2012/02/17/attack-on-syria-likely-before-march/

4) Russia send Air defenses to Syria a Warning to USWests Contemplation of all-out but Illegal Military Intervention. http://nsnbc.wordpress.com/2012/06/18/russia-send-air-sea-defenses-to-syria-a-warning-to-uswests-contemplation-of-all-out-but-illegal-military-intervention/

5) Iran Russia China Syria to stage biggest Joint Wargames in Middle East. http://nsnbc.wordpress.com/2012/06/19/iran-russia-china-syria-to-stage-biggest-joint-wargames-in-middle-east/