President Bashar al-Assad did not personally order last month's chemical weapons attack near Damascus, according to a German newspaper citing unidentified high-level national security sources. The report, published by Bild am Sonntag, claims that intercepted communications from a German surveillance ship operated by the BND intelligence service indicate Assad blocked numerous requests from his military commanders to use chemical weapons in recent months.
The findings come as Western powers, led by the United States, France and Britain, push for military intervention in response to the 21 August attack in the suburb of Ghouta that killed hundreds. While the intercepts suggest Assad was not directly involved, they are said to support the view that elements of the regime, rather than rebel groups, were responsible for the attack.
US President Barack Obama is urging Congress to approve military action to deter the Syrian regime from using chemical weapons. However, he faces resistance from lawmakers concerned about another Middle East war, and from Russian President Vladimir Putin, who has stated that any strikes without UN approval would be illegal.
Speaking in Paris, US Secretary of State John Kerry said Washington did not rule out a return to the UN Security Council once inspectors complete their report. French President François Hollande, under pressure domestically, pledged to consider the UN report before acting and suggested he might seek a UN resolution despite previous Russian and Chinese vetoes.
The German intelligence findings could complicate efforts to build international support for military action. BND chief Gerhard Schindler reportedly told a closed parliamentary meeting that while the agency shared the US view that the regime launched the attack, it lacked conclusive evidence either way. According to Der Spiegel, Schindler also mentioned an intercepted call where a Hezbollah official told the Iranian embassy that Assad had made a 'big mistake' in ordering the use of chemicals.
Only 12 of the G20 countries have backed the US position, with German Chancellor Angela Merkel leading calls for caution ahead of a general election.
