Syrian chemical attack a possible dosage ‘mistake’, report

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Germany's BNDGerman intelligence believes the Syrian regime was behind last month’s chemical attack but that the large death toll may be the result of a dosage “mistake”, news site Spiegel Online has reported. Spiegel cited secret briefings to lawmakers reportedly given by the director of Germany’s BND foreign intelligence service, Gerhard Schindler.

Schindler reportedly said that the August 21 attack appeared to stem from Syrian government forces, although there was no absolute proof.

The BND chief said that only President Bashar al-Assad’s military and not the rebels had substances such as sarin gas and the capability to fire them using 107-millimetre calibre missiles, of which it has a significant stockpile.

But Schindler said the heavy number of casualties, which the United States has estimated at more than 1,400 people, pointed to a possible mistake in the dosage. Schindler, in his classified briefings, reportedly said that in other attacks in Syria earlier this year where chemical weapons were allegedly used “that the poison gas mixture was strongly diluted, explaining why they caused far fewer deaths”, Spiegel Online said.

The BND chief said it was possible the regime had ordered the use of poison gas as a way of intimidating the rebels on the outskirts of the capital Damascus.

syrians killed in chemical attack
The heavy number of casualties, which the United States has estimated at more than 1,400 people is due to a possible mistake in the dosage according to Germany’s BND foreign intelligence service, Gerhard Schindler

The Spiegel report said Schindler considered it “possible that a mistake was made in mixing the gas and that much more poison than planned was fired”. During one 30-minute presentation, Schindler also mentioned the BND had intercepted a telephone conversation between a high-ranking official of the Lebanese Shiite movement Hezbollah, a traditional ally of the Syrian regime, and an Iranian diplomat.

The Hezbollah official had attributed the August attack to Assad and said he felt the leader had “lost his nerve” and committed a “serious mistake” in giving the order to use chemical weapons, said Spiegel. This development may influence the debate on a possible Western intervention against the regime, said Spiegel, as Washington and Paris are seeking to rally support for a possible military intervention in Syria.

AFP

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6 responses to “Syrian chemical attack a possible dosage ‘mistake’, report”

  1. nagy_michael2 Avatar
    nagy_michael2

    It was not a mistake.. most likely Hezbollah commanders rigged the dosage to cause more death.. these people only no death and destruction. the sons of Lucifer and the angel of death.. and he resides underground in Dahia..

    1. Yes and you angel rebels have just attacked a christian village in maloula that has nothing to do with this….gmayell has called on the UN to intervene to stop whats happening.

      1. nagy_michael2 Avatar
        nagy_michael2

        you automatically assumes that I support al nusra.. typical and cynical M8 followers. I said in my previous posts if you didn’t read them I hope the extremists and Hezbollah will finish each other. There are many good muslims who do not side with these extremists. Stop your stupid pretentions and we all know these extremists do not like Christians.. I despise them and I never like them to mix with the FSA. but No one helped much the FSA so they thought it would help ease some pressures off them. Yes Gemyal has even called for Lebanese not to interfere in Syria all along. I do not like us Interfering in Syria too. I despise the Syrian regime, Muslims Extremists, Iranian muallahs, Nassrallah and his allies in Israel. yes his allies in Israel. They’re both allies to destroy Lebanon.. what do you think about that now.. Now go date your goat and play with somebody else’s mind.

  2. nagy_michael2 Avatar
    nagy_michael2

    It was not a mistake.. most likely Hezbollah commanders rigged the dosage to cause more death.. these people only no death and destruction. the sons of Lucifer and the angel of death.. and he resides underground in Dahia..

    1. Yes and you angel rebels have just attacked a christian village in maloula that has nothing to do with this….gmayell has called on the UN to intervene to stop whats happening.

      1. nagy_michael2 Avatar
        nagy_michael2

        you automatically assumes that I support al nusra.. typical and cynical M8 followers. I said in my previous posts if you didn’t read them I hope the extremists and Hezbollah will finish each other. There are many good muslims who do not side with these extremists. Stop your stupid pretentions and we all know these extremists do not like Christians.. I despise them and I never like them to mix with the FSA. but No one helped much the FSA so they thought it would help ease some pressures off them. Yes Gemyal has even called for Lebanese not to interfere in Syria all along. I do not like us Interfering in Syria too. I despise the Syrian regime, Muslims Extremists, Iranian muallahs, Nassrallah and his allies in Israel. yes his allies in Israel. They’re both allies to destroy Lebanon.. what do you think about that now.. Now go date your goat and play with somebody else’s mind.

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