Syria: Assad's father-in-law compares Syrian uprising to London riots
Asked about his son-in-law’s brutal crackdown on the rebel city of Homs, Dr Akhras said: “When the London riots burst out and Mr Cameron said he would get the army out, now would you compare that to Homs? “What would you do? Just watch them killing you? You have a responsibility to ensure the security of your people.”
(Comment: they were peaceful protests; there are still peaceful protests every week in Syria)
Told that the British authorities had dealt with the riots without killing anyone, Dr Akhras replied: “We are not as sophisticated as the Metropolitan Police or Scotland Yard.”
Dr Akhras said that the figure of 7,000 dead in Syria was “much better” than the death toll in Libya, where a Western-supported military intervention and civil war caused as many as 50,000 deaths, according to the victorious rebel forces, though estimates by the Red Cross are far lower.
(Comment: those people were killed by Gaddafi; thousands are still missing.)
Emails obtained by the al-Arabiya satellite channel purport to show another side to Fawaz Akhras, suggesting that he was deeply worried about Syria’s bloodshed and urged his son-in-law to respond to reports of atrocities. On 19 December, an email purporting to be from Mr Akhras to both Mr and Mrs Assad warns them that Channel Four was about to show footage of atrocities. He forwards a link to a Daily Mail article previewing the report, saying: “The description of this video is horrible and the embassy were asked to comment but no answer.”
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/middleeast/syria/9146750/Syria-Assads-father-in-law-compares-Syrian-uprising-to-London-riots.html#.T2LC72fZSoI.twitter
