“America Is On Our Side”: Al-Nusra Commander Tells German Press US Is Arming Jihadists.
In a striking interview with German journalist Jürgen Todenhöfer published today the German press including the prominent newspaper Focus, a militant jihadist commander said that US weapons are being delivered to Jabhat Al-Nusra by governments that Washington supports, adding that American instructors were in Syria to teach how to use the new equipment.
“Yes, the US supports the opposition [in Syria], but not directly. They support the countries that support us. But we are not yet satisfied with this support,” Jabhat al-Nusra unit commander Abu Al Ezz said in an interview with Koelner Stadt-Anzeiger newspaper from the city of Aleppo. According to the commander, the militants should be receiving more “sophisticated weapons” from their backers to succeed against the Syrian government.
For those pressed for time, below is a summary of what the Al-Nusra commander said:
They are directly supported by the US
They received tanks and other heavy weaponry via Libya and Turkey
They got officers and experts from the US, Israel, Turkey inside Aleppo
The commanders of IS are led by Western intelligence
They are against cease-fires and aid deliveries
“The U.S. is on our side”
In the full interview, the commander notes that “The fight is difficult. The regime is strong and gets support from Russia,” the jihadist explained. Al Ezz said that Jabhat Al-Nusra “won battles thanks to TOW rockets. Due to these rockets, we reached a balance with the regime. Our tanks came from Libya via Turkey, joined by the [BM-21] multiple rocket launchers,” he said.
“We will fight until the regime is toppled,” he said, referring to Assad’s government. Al-Nusra Front wants “to establish an Islamic state that will be ruled according to the Sharia law. We do not recognize any secular state.”
The government forces have an advantage because of aircraft and missile launchers, but “we have the American-made TOW missiles, and the situation in some areas is under control,” Al Ezz added.
But the most stunning admission came when asked if the TOW missiles were initially intended for Jabhat Al-Nusra or if the group obtained them from the moderate Free Syrian Army, the jihadist clarified: “No, the missiles were given to us directly.”
He also said that when Jabhat Al-Nusra was “besieged, we had officers from Turkey, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Israel and America here… Experts in the use of satellites, rockets, reconnaissance and thermal security cameras.”
Another dramatic admission: when Todenhöfer asked specifically if the US instructors were really present among the jihadists’ ranks and Al Ezz replied: “The Americans are on our side.”
He also said that Jabhat Al-Nusra has been paid for achieving specific military goals during the Syrian conflict. “We got 500 million Syrian pounds (around $2.3 million) from Saudi Arabia. To capture the Infantry School in Al Muslimiya years ago we received 1.5 million Kuwaiti dinars (around $500,000) and Saudi Arabia’s $5 million,” Al Ezz said.
The money came from the “governments” of those states, not private individuals, he said.
One of the governments cited as a source of funds – Israel. “Israel is now giving us support because Israel is at war with Syria and with Hezbollah,” Al Ezz said. The West also “paved the way” for jihadists coming to Syria, saying that “we have many fighters from Germany, France, Britain, America, from all the Western countries,” the commander said.
In the interview, Al Ezz confirmed claims made by Moscow and the Syrian government that the militants had used the Syrian ceasefire, agreed by Russia and US on September 9, to prepare for a new offensive.
“We do not recognize the ceasefire. We will regroup our groups. We will carry out the next overwhelming attack against the regime in a few days. We have regrouped our forces in all provinces, including Homs, Aleppo, Idlib and Hama,” Al Ezz said.
He said that Jabhat Al-Nusa would not let trucks with humanitarian aid enter Aleppo “as long as the regime [forces] are along the Castello Road, in Al Malah and in the northern regions.” “The regime must withdraw from all the territories, and we will let the trucks in. If a truck is going in anyway, we will detain the driver,” he said.
The idea of a transitional government in Syria is also not supported by Jabhat Al-Nusra, the commander said. “We accept no one from the Assad regime or of the Free Syrian Army, which is described as moderate. Our goal is to overthrow the regime, and establish an Islamic state in accordance with the Islamic Sharia,” he said.
As for the people who represent the Syrian opposition at the Geneva talks, Al Ezz said that “these people are weak, they’ve got a lot of money. They’ve sold themselves.”
“There are mercenaries in Syria, Alloush fights with Al Nusra-Front,” he said talking about Mohammed Alloush, a leader in the Jaysh al-Islam group, part of the Syrian opposition’s High Negotiations Committee (HNC) in the peace talks. “The group that was housed in Turkey and which was turned into the Free Syrian Army, used to be part of Al Nusra-Front.”
Interestingly, the al-Nusra Front commander also mentioned the UN aid convoy. Keep in mind that Todenhöfer, the first Western journalist to be granted access to the caliphate, conducted the interview ten day ago, before the attack. The commander said that the militants would not allow UN trucks carrying aid to enter Aleppo if the Syrian Arab Army does not withdraw “as required.” “The regime must withdraw from all areas in order for us to let the trucks in. If a truck drives in anyway, we will arrest the driver,” he detailed.
Finally, in case there is still any confusion, the commander openly confirmed that Jabhat Al-Nusra “are part of Al Qaeda.”
“Actually, we were inside one group together with the Islamic State. But the Islamic State has been used in accordance with the interests and political purposes of the big powers like America, and the group has drifted away from our principles. Most of the IS leaders are working with intelligence services, and it’s now clear for us. We, the Jabhat Al-Nusra, have our own way,” Al Ezz said.
The interview with Jabhat al-Nusra’s commander was taken at a stone quarry in Aleppo on September 17 by Koelner Stadt-Anzeiger journalist Jurgen Todenhöfer on his seventh trip to war-torn Syria.
After you find out if the Russians have begun to use the Iranian air base again, can you find out if the coalition has been using Incirlik since the coup?
German reporter Jürgen Todenhöferthat interview with Jabhat al-Nusra’s commander.
Interview took place at a stone quarry in Aleppo on September 17, 2016 by Koelner Stadt-Anzeiger journalist Jurgen Todenhöfer on his trip to Syria.
Note: Commander openly confirms that Jabhat Al-Nusra “are part of Al Qaeda.”
Yes,that sort of “say’s it all”. The US of course “officially” denies it. But by now most people that study the Syrian war know the truth. Whether they dare admit it is another question.
And, meanwhile, Russian liberals sold formerly state-owned diamond producer Alrosa for a fraction of its value. Even staunchly neoliberal Bloomberg News is shocked by Putin’s willingness to sell state assets at a huge discount; Rosneft and Bashneft will, experts predict, meet the same fate later this year.
On RT today there is a story that clearly shows some of the problems.There are a couple of points here that need discussing. The article says:
“One US official, speaking on condition of anonymity, told Reuters that Washington has kept high numbers of man-portable air defense systems (MANPADS), considered to be a threat to low-flying aircraft, out of Syria by uniting Western and Arab allies behind sending training and infantry weapons to moderate opposition groups while the US conducted talks with Russia.
Fed up with dancing to Washington’s tune, Gulf allies or Turkey may sooner or later silently agree to wealthy individuals supplying MANPADS to opposition groups in Syria, another US official said.
“The Saudis have always thought that the way to get the Russians to back off is what worked in Afghanistan 30 years ago – negating their air power by giving MANPADS to the Mujahideen,” an unnamed US official told Reuters.”
Right there the US government “source” is admitting they have lied about providing weapons to terrorists. Which under international law makes them a terrorist enabling state.As to those nations mentioned as supporting terrorists (even if we leave out the US) they are open as terrorist backers to be struck by military action under the law. So if Russia was to announce (as they should) that those arming terrorists will be struck as well as the terrorists.They would be within the law to do so.
Here is another part of the story of interest:
” Another administration official, who spoke on condition of anonymity to Reuters, noted, however: “The opposition has a right to defend itself and they will not be left defenseless in the face of this indiscriminate bombardment.”
I wonder why he wasn’t asked if this included ISIS and Nursa. They also are “opposition” so it would seem he is saying they have a right to defend themselves.The are “far” to many questions left unasked by the Media,that scream out to me to be asked.
“The CIA has been coordinating weapon deliveries on the Turkey-Syria border, German journalist Jurgen Todenhofer, who recently spoke with a Jabhat al-Nusra commander, told RT. He added that the US knows that the weapons it delivers to rebels end up with terrorists.
“This is a game everybody knows. It’s very clear that the Americans know that their weapons will in the end be in the hands of terrorists,” Todenhofer said speaking to RT.
“The CIA was coordinating the weapons’ delivery from Turkey and they brought the weapons to the border… These weapons were taken by terrorist groups, Al-Qaeda, Islamic State (IS, formerly ISIS/ISIL). This is well-known.”
This is neither a mistake nor a case of negligence, Todenhofer believes, despite some opinions suggesting that American weapons could have accidentally fallen into the hands of terrorists.
In response to a recent State Department release which said the US had not been supporting terrorists, but some of its allies could have been, Todenhofer said, “maybe there were allies in between. But everybody knows that they are using allies and they are allowing allies… It doesn’t matter if a TOW rocket or a TOW missile, which is an American missile, comes [to terrorists] from another group.”
Todenhofer said that when a terrorist group wants the weapons which are supplied to rebels it changes its name and from that point it belongs to the so-called ’moderate opposition.’
He recalled that in 2012 the Pentagon released DIA documents which revealed that Washington is seeking to destroy relations between Shia governments in Iran, Iraq, Lebanon and Syria.
“In a certain way he [the Jabhat al-Nusra commander] is repeating what Pentagon said four years ago,” he stated. “They are trying to get rid of Assad with the help of the rebels,” the journalist concluded.
In the interview the Jabhat al-Nusra unit commander Abu Al Ezz said that US weapons are being delivered to the terrorist group by governments that Washington supports and American instructors have been providing instruction on how to use them. “Yes, the US supports the opposition [in Syria], but not directly. They support the countries that support us. But we are not yet satisfied with this support,” he said.
He also echoed claims made by Moscow and the Syrian government that the militants were using the Syrian ceasefire, agreed on by Russia and US on September 9, to prepare for a new offensive. “We do not recognize the ceasefire. We will regroup our groups. We will carry out the next overwhelming attack against the regime in a few days,” he said.”
Note the interview eith the terrorist took place 10 days ago before israel had their american quislings attack the SAA.
I would imagine the Russians quietly reinforced more, a lot more, than just their air wing of Su-25s in Syria the last few days….
“America Is On Our Side”: Al-Nusra Commander Tells German Press US Is Arming Jihadists.
In a striking interview with German journalist Jürgen Todenhöfer published today the German press including the prominent newspaper Focus, a militant jihadist commander said that US weapons are being delivered to Jabhat Al-Nusra by governments that Washington supports, adding that American instructors were in Syria to teach how to use the new equipment.
“Yes, the US supports the opposition [in Syria], but not directly. They support the countries that support us. But we are not yet satisfied with this support,” Jabhat al-Nusra unit commander Abu Al Ezz said in an interview with Koelner Stadt-Anzeiger newspaper from the city of Aleppo. According to the commander, the militants should be receiving more “sophisticated weapons” from their backers to succeed against the Syrian government.
For those pressed for time, below is a summary of what the Al-Nusra commander said:
They are directly supported by the US
They received tanks and other heavy weaponry via Libya and Turkey
They got officers and experts from the US, Israel, Turkey inside Aleppo
The commanders of IS are led by Western intelligence
They are against cease-fires and aid deliveries
“The U.S. is on our side”
In the full interview, the commander notes that “The fight is difficult. The regime is strong and gets support from Russia,” the jihadist explained. Al Ezz said that Jabhat Al-Nusra “won battles thanks to TOW rockets. Due to these rockets, we reached a balance with the regime. Our tanks came from Libya via Turkey, joined by the [BM-21] multiple rocket launchers,” he said.
“We will fight until the regime is toppled,” he said, referring to Assad’s government. Al-Nusra Front wants “to establish an Islamic state that will be ruled according to the Sharia law. We do not recognize any secular state.”
The government forces have an advantage because of aircraft and missile launchers, but “we have the American-made TOW missiles, and the situation in some areas is under control,” Al Ezz added.
But the most stunning admission came when asked if the TOW missiles were initially intended for Jabhat Al-Nusra or if the group obtained them from the moderate Free Syrian Army, the jihadist clarified: “No, the missiles were given to us directly.”
He also said that when Jabhat Al-Nusra was “besieged, we had officers from Turkey, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Israel and America here… Experts in the use of satellites, rockets, reconnaissance and thermal security cameras.”
Another dramatic admission: when Todenhöfer asked specifically if the US instructors were really present among the jihadists’ ranks and Al Ezz replied: “The Americans are on our side.”
He also said that Jabhat Al-Nusra has been paid for achieving specific military goals during the Syrian conflict. “We got 500 million Syrian pounds (around $2.3 million) from Saudi Arabia. To capture the Infantry School in Al Muslimiya years ago we received 1.5 million Kuwaiti dinars (around $500,000) and Saudi Arabia’s $5 million,” Al Ezz said.
The money came from the “governments” of those states, not private individuals, he said.
One of the governments cited as a source of funds – Israel. “Israel is now giving us support because Israel is at war with Syria and with Hezbollah,” Al Ezz said. The West also “paved the way” for jihadists coming to Syria, saying that “we have many fighters from Germany, France, Britain, America, from all the Western countries,” the commander said.
In the interview, Al Ezz confirmed claims made by Moscow and the Syrian government that the militants had used the Syrian ceasefire, agreed by Russia and US on September 9, to prepare for a new offensive.
“We do not recognize the ceasefire. We will regroup our groups. We will carry out the next overwhelming attack against the regime in a few days. We have regrouped our forces in all provinces, including Homs, Aleppo, Idlib and Hama,” Al Ezz said.
He said that Jabhat Al-Nusa would not let trucks with humanitarian aid enter Aleppo “as long as the regime [forces] are along the Castello Road, in Al Malah and in the northern regions.” “The regime must withdraw from all the territories, and we will let the trucks in. If a truck is going in anyway, we will detain the driver,” he said.
The idea of a transitional government in Syria is also not supported by Jabhat Al-Nusra, the commander said. “We accept no one from the Assad regime or of the Free Syrian Army, which is described as moderate. Our goal is to overthrow the regime, and establish an Islamic state in accordance with the Islamic Sharia,” he said.
As for the people who represent the Syrian opposition at the Geneva talks, Al Ezz said that “these people are weak, they’ve got a lot of money. They’ve sold themselves.”
“There are mercenaries in Syria, Alloush fights with Al Nusra-Front,” he said talking about Mohammed Alloush, a leader in the Jaysh al-Islam group, part of the Syrian opposition’s High Negotiations Committee (HNC) in the peace talks. “The group that was housed in Turkey and which was turned into the Free Syrian Army, used to be part of Al Nusra-Front.”
Interestingly, the al-Nusra Front commander also mentioned the UN aid convoy. Keep in mind that Todenhöfer, the first Western journalist to be granted access to the caliphate, conducted the interview ten day ago, before the attack. The commander said that the militants would not allow UN trucks carrying aid to enter Aleppo if the Syrian Arab Army does not withdraw “as required.” “The regime must withdraw from all areas in order for us to let the trucks in. If a truck drives in anyway, we will arrest the driver,” he detailed.
Finally, in case there is still any confusion, the commander openly confirmed that Jabhat Al-Nusra “are part of Al Qaeda.”
“Actually, we were inside one group together with the Islamic State. But the Islamic State has been used in accordance with the interests and political purposes of the big powers like America, and the group has drifted away from our principles. Most of the IS leaders are working with intelligence services, and it’s now clear for us. We, the Jabhat Al-Nusra, have our own way,” Al Ezz said.
The interview with Jabhat al-Nusra’s commander was taken at a stone quarry in Aleppo on September 17 by Koelner Stadt-Anzeiger journalist Jurgen Todenhöfer on his seventh trip to war-torn Syria.
http://www.zerohedge.com/news/2016-09-26/america-our-side-al-nusra-commander-tells-german-press-us-arming-jihadists
just wondrin’ what the latest state of play was with Russian planes using the Iranian airbase that there were some squabbles about recently………..
After you find out if the Russians have begun to use the Iranian air base again, can you find out if the coalition has been using Incirlik since the coup?
German reporter Jürgen Todenhöferthat interview with Jabhat al-Nusra’s commander.
Interview took place at a stone quarry in Aleppo on September 17, 2016 by Koelner Stadt-Anzeiger journalist Jurgen Todenhöfer on his trip to Syria.
Note: Commander openly confirms that Jabhat Al-Nusra “are part of Al Qaeda.”
The video was taken down however here it is in journalist’s facebook:
https://www.facebook.com/JuergenTodenhoefer/
Written translation:
http://www.moonofalabama.org/2016/09/todenh%C3%B6fer-interview-with-al-nusra-commander-the-americans-stand-on-our-side.html
Yes,that sort of “say’s it all”. The US of course “officially” denies it. But by now most people that study the Syrian war know the truth. Whether they dare admit it is another question.
And, meanwhile, Russian liberals sold formerly state-owned diamond producer Alrosa for a fraction of its value. Even staunchly neoliberal Bloomberg News is shocked by Putin’s willingness to sell state assets at a huge discount; Rosneft and Bashneft will, experts predict, meet the same fate later this year.
“Russia Fleeced as First Asset Sale Leaves $313 Million on Table”
http://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2016-09-27/russia-fleeced-as-first-asset-sale-leaves-313-million-on-table
On RT today there is a story that clearly shows some of the problems.There are a couple of points here that need discussing. The article says:
“One US official, speaking on condition of anonymity, told Reuters that Washington has kept high numbers of man-portable air defense systems (MANPADS), considered to be a threat to low-flying aircraft, out of Syria by uniting Western and Arab allies behind sending training and infantry weapons to moderate opposition groups while the US conducted talks with Russia.
Fed up with dancing to Washington’s tune, Gulf allies or Turkey may sooner or later silently agree to wealthy individuals supplying MANPADS to opposition groups in Syria, another US official said.
“The Saudis have always thought that the way to get the Russians to back off is what worked in Afghanistan 30 years ago – negating their air power by giving MANPADS to the Mujahideen,” an unnamed US official told Reuters.”
Right there the US government “source” is admitting they have lied about providing weapons to terrorists. Which under international law makes them a terrorist enabling state.As to those nations mentioned as supporting terrorists (even if we leave out the US) they are open as terrorist backers to be struck by military action under the law. So if Russia was to announce (as they should) that those arming terrorists will be struck as well as the terrorists.They would be within the law to do so.
Here is another part of the story of interest:
” Another administration official, who spoke on condition of anonymity to Reuters, noted, however: “The opposition has a right to defend itself and they will not be left defenseless in the face of this indiscriminate bombardment.”
I wonder why he wasn’t asked if this included ISIS and Nursa. They also are “opposition” so it would seem he is saying they have a right to defend themselves.The are “far” to many questions left unasked by the Media,that scream out to me to be asked.
https://www.rt.com/news/360800-gulf-arm-rebels-syria/
‘US knows weapons sent to Syrian rebels end up with terrorists’ – German journo to RT
https://www.rt.com/news/360865-us-arms-terrorists-syria/
“The CIA has been coordinating weapon deliveries on the Turkey-Syria border, German journalist Jurgen Todenhofer, who recently spoke with a Jabhat al-Nusra commander, told RT. He added that the US knows that the weapons it delivers to rebels end up with terrorists.
“This is a game everybody knows. It’s very clear that the Americans know that their weapons will in the end be in the hands of terrorists,” Todenhofer said speaking to RT.
“The CIA was coordinating the weapons’ delivery from Turkey and they brought the weapons to the border… These weapons were taken by terrorist groups, Al-Qaeda, Islamic State (IS, formerly ISIS/ISIL). This is well-known.”
This is neither a mistake nor a case of negligence, Todenhofer believes, despite some opinions suggesting that American weapons could have accidentally fallen into the hands of terrorists.
In response to a recent State Department release which said the US had not been supporting terrorists, but some of its allies could have been, Todenhofer said, “maybe there were allies in between. But everybody knows that they are using allies and they are allowing allies… It doesn’t matter if a TOW rocket or a TOW missile, which is an American missile, comes [to terrorists] from another group.”
Todenhofer said that when a terrorist group wants the weapons which are supplied to rebels it changes its name and from that point it belongs to the so-called ’moderate opposition.’
He recalled that in 2012 the Pentagon released DIA documents which revealed that Washington is seeking to destroy relations between Shia governments in Iran, Iraq, Lebanon and Syria.
“In a certain way he [the Jabhat al-Nusra commander] is repeating what Pentagon said four years ago,” he stated. “They are trying to get rid of Assad with the help of the rebels,” the journalist concluded.
In the interview the Jabhat al-Nusra unit commander Abu Al Ezz said that US weapons are being delivered to the terrorist group by governments that Washington supports and American instructors have been providing instruction on how to use them. “Yes, the US supports the opposition [in Syria], but not directly. They support the countries that support us. But we are not yet satisfied with this support,” he said.
He also echoed claims made by Moscow and the Syrian government that the militants were using the Syrian ceasefire, agreed on by Russia and US on September 9, to prepare for a new offensive. “We do not recognize the ceasefire. We will regroup our groups. We will carry out the next overwhelming attack against the regime in a few days,” he said.”
Note the interview eith the terrorist took place 10 days ago before israel had their american quislings attack the SAA.