Der Spiegel: Syria is developing nuclear arms

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President Assad has not relinquished his nuclear program. According to German weekly Der Spiegel, which is renowned for its excellent intelligence sources, Syria continues to secretly develop its nuclear arms.

We have already reported here that Assad has succeeded in tricking the world, and continues to possess large quantities of chemical weapons, some of which is used in the course of his own campaign against the opposition to his regime.

It is worthy of note that some time ago, Europe and the US have officially declared that “Assad has surrendered his entire chemical arsenal” and that “they have been neutralized.”

“It is hardly surprising he [Assad] has continued with his military nuclear program. This man is following his own plan to the letter,” an Israeli source told i-HLS yesterday.

Citing intelligence sources and satellite imagery, the German-speaking journal published that the Syrian facility is situated close to the border with Lebanon. According to the report in Der Spiegel, the installation is secured by Hezbollah forces. The scientists working there are from Iran and North Korea.

Based on information by undisclosed intelligence sources, Der Spiegel says the Syrian nuclear plant is located in a secluded mountainous region in Western Syria, two kilometers from the border with Lebanon.

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The footage Der Spiegel ran (see below) seems to show a main entrance, hangers, secret entrances and a well.

Der Spiegel reported they have “exclusive evidence” – namely, satellite footage and phone conversations recordings – intercepted by said intelligence sources. Based on this material obtained by the German weekly, Western scientists claim the project, “code-named “buzzer”, is perhaps designed to enrich uranium.

The German journal alleges that the Syrian regime has transferred 800 fuel tubes (generally referred to as ’fuel rods’) to this reactor. They were originally destined for the Al Kibar facility, which was bombed and destroyed back in 2007. This attack is generally attributed in the international media to Israel.

But the new development also comes at an uncomfortable time for the US government. Despite all official denials, Washington is currently operating in the region more-or-less in concert with Assad in the fight against the Islamist terrorist militia Islamic State. Furthermore, following the well-monitored and largely efficient destruction of Syrian chemical weapons, the US, Britain and France all believed that Assad’s ability to wage unconventional warfare had been eliminated. The possible development of a Syrian atomic weapon, should it be confirmed, would necessarily lead to a new assessment of the situation.