A Syrian smuggler on a "humanitarian mission"

By Weedah Hamzah Feb 17, 2012, 16:02 GMT

Wadi Khaled, Lebanon - Since the start of a pro-democracy uprising in his country, Abu Abed, a Syrian taxi driver, has been plying between the dissident Syrian province of Homs and this northern Lebanese border area for a high-risk type of business.

Abu Abed, not his real name, transports reporters to Homs and Syrians fleeing from violence into Lebanon.

'What I am doing is not smuggling but a humanitarian mission,' he said. 'We need independent journalists and human rights organizations to go inside Homs and see with their own eyes what is really happening there because our (Syrian) media are liars.'

Syrian authorities have barred foreign media and human rights groups from the country since the uprising began in mid-March.

In recent weeks, the Syrian government has somewhat eased the ban, allowing in some reporters who are always escorted by minders from the Syrian Information Ministry. They are not allowed to report from volatile areas in the country.

This restriction has prompted reporters, interested in independent coverage from Syria, to seek help from natives like Abu Abed.

Lebanon's northern border is just a few kilometers from Homs.

Abu Abed is proud that he has so far eluded arrest by the Syrian government troops who have been cracking down for the past 11 months on pro-democracy protesters in Homs.

But he admits that for the past two days he has been unable to pursue business as usual after receiving tips that the Syrian troops have planted mines along some of the roads he used.

'I am looking for alternative routes,' he said tersely.

'I want to guarantee the safety of my passengers who pay 200 dollars per person,' he told dpa.

Abu Abed discloses that not all the journeys from northern Lebanon into Homs are made by his taxi.

'Sometimes I take my passengers to a certain area and then Syrian activists will accompany them to the areas they want to visit,' he added.

'I always advise my passengers to carry only a small backpack including a comfortable pair of shoes along with some biscuits and water.'

Abu Abed claims he has smuggled many foreign journalists over the past few weeks into Homs.

'This has infuriated the Syrian regime because the unwelcome reporters provided true stories from inside the areas that the regime alleges are controlled by armed terrorist groups,' he said.

'Trust me. I am not doing this for money. The money I get is spent on my car's maintenance and fuel,' he added.

A recent rise in the number of infiltrators across the Lebanese-Syrian border in Wadi Khaled has prompted the Lebanese army to tighten security in the area.

Reporters heading to Wadi Khaled now have to get special permission from the Lebanese Military Intelligence Department before they are allowed into the area.

Sometimes a government escort is sent with them to ensure that they will not enter Syria illegally.

'These measures are necessary for the safety of the reporters themselves, and for us to protect our border,' a Lebanese army source told