Iraq renews accusations against Syria over deadly Baghdad blasts

Sep 30, 2009, 11:03 GMT

Baghdad/Damascus - Iraq has renewed accusations that Syria provided sanctuary to militants suspected of being behind deadly attacks that shook Baghdad in August.

The new charges come despite regional efforts to contain the diplomatic rift.

The security leadership in Baghdad has recently presented new reports to Prime Minister Nuri al-Maliki. Those, the Iraqis say, prove the involvement of Syrian-based Baathists in the August attacks, which left 100 dead and 1,200 injured, Iraqi daily al-Sabah quoted army spokesman Qassem Atta as saying.

'There is new information about the activities of Baathists in Syria, the location of their training centres, means of funding and their future plans,' Atta said.

Atta said the security apparatus is ready to present the new information to parliament.

   Syria and Iraq each recalled their ambassadors over the dispute that arose after Iraqi authorities demanded that Damascus turn over two suspects.

Syrian president Bashar al-Assad called the accusations 'unethical' and demanded that Iraq provide evidence to back the accusations.

Iraq asked the UN to conduct an international probe into the incident.

Reconciliation attempts conducted by both Turkey and the Arab League have come to no avail.

On Wednesday, Syrian local media blasted statements made the day before by Iraqi Foreign Minister Hoshyar Zebari, in which he accused Syria of a 'lack of seriousness' toward recent reconciliation attempts.

Meanwhile, the Iraqi government allocated around 510 billion Iraqi dinars (about 450 million dollars) to boost border security and prevent the infiltration of fighters into the country.

According to Deputy Interior Minister Ahmed Ali al-Khafaji the government allocated the money to be spent on a strategic tree-year plan that aims at building police stations and road networks on the borders as well as alarm systems for early warning.

'By next June, around 1,000 kilometres across the Iraqi borders with Syria and Iran will be covered by the new alarm systems. The larger part of this system will cover the borders with Syria, while the remaining will be installed in the most important border areas with Iran,' al-Sabah newspaper quoted al-Khafaji as saying.

   Around 660 police stations have already been constructed, and 800 more are expected to be finished next year, al-Khafaji said, adding that consultant offices will complete the plans of road networks on the borders in April.

He said that 'the neighboring countries are responsible for the security and control of their borders to prevent infiltration of terrorists and insurgents into Iraq and that an international tribunal investigating the terrorist attacks in Iraq is the only way to deter infiltration and ensure the country's security.'

  Since the US-led invasion in 2003, Baghdad and Washington have repeatedly accused Damascus of not doing enough to curb the flow of fighters into Iraq.