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Iraqi Defence Minister Says Syria "Almost Only" Entry Point for "Fighters"

Posted on: Sunday, 13 November 2005, 12:00 CST

Text of report by Qatari Al-Jazeera satellite TV on 13 November

Iraqi Defence Minister Sa'dun al-Dulaymi has said that Syria is the only outlet through which fighters enter Iraq in their booby- trapped cars, as he put it. During a visit to Jordan, Al-Dulaymi said that Iraq has more than 450 detainees who came to Iraq after having received training in Syria.

[Al-Dulaymi - recording] Why have I complained personally several times through the media that the Syrian outlet is almost the only outlet. We have a 620-kilometre-long joint border with the Syrian brothers. I say that there are 620 problems between us and Syria. We have more than 450 detainees, who all came from various Arab and Islamic countries to receive training in Syria and enter Iraq in their booby-trapped cars, bringing destruction, death and murder with them. Why do they not enter Iraq from Jordan, from Saudi Arabia, from Iran, from Kuwait? It seems that the Syrian brothers do not like us to say this at this stage, which could be a critical one for them. But I tell them: Brothers, if the Iraqi volcano explodes, none of the capitals neighbouring Iraq will be spared.

[Al-Jazeera correspondent in Amman Yasir Abu-Hilalah] Your excellency, how do you comment on Syrian President Bashar al-Asad's recent statements about this issue?

[Al-Dulaymi] What did Bashar al-Asad say? [recording ends] [Video of Al-Dulaymi speaking to reporters]

Source: BBC Monitoring Middle East

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