Assad on French Anti-Terrorism Efforts: You Can’t Be Police, Thief at Same Time

Syrian President Bashar al-Assad raised doubts that France really wants to fight terrorism, stressing that any country cannot fight terrorism and directly support terrorists at the same time.

In an interview with the Czech TV, President Assad said that France did not learn from Charlie Hebdo attack because Paris is still supporting terrorists through Saudi Arabia and Qatar, SANA news agency reported.

President Assad in an interview with Czech TV

President Assad in an interview with Czech TV

“You cannot fight terrorism while you are supporting the terrorists directly with armaments and having alliance with most zealous supporters of terrorism in the world; which is the Saudi Kingdom. You cannot. This is contradiction. You cannot be the police and the thief at the same time. You have to choose either way to stand.”

Asked about western supplies to the Takfiri group, ISIL (so-called Islamic State in Iraq and Levant), the Syrian leader said: “You have them very clearly on the internet. French and other different parties of course, but the French example existed.”

“How could a country like France sell such weapons to a destination that it does not know, or that they do not know where they will go? That is impossible. They know through the Saudi Kingdom and Qatar and maybe from other countries, definitely.”

Meanwhile, President Assad said terrorists are not only coming from within Syria.

“Terrorists are coming from more than 100 countries around the world. They wanted to make Syria a hub for terrorism and that is the situation. If we did not defend our country, that number would be many folds."

On the other hand, Assad stressed that the Russian campaign is helping to crush the insurgents, unlike the US-led coalition.

“According to the facts, since the beginning of that coalition, if you want to talk about facts not opinions, ISIL has expanded, and their recruits from around the world have increased. While since the participation of the Russians in the same so-called fight against terrorism, ISIL has been shrinking and Al Nusra of course and other terrorist groups. So, this is reality. The facts are telling.”

He praised the cooperation between the Syrian army and the Russian air forces.

“You cannot kill terrorists or destroy terrorism from the air, you cannot, it is almost impossible, the Americans have been trying this in Afghanistan for how long? More than 12 or 13 years. Did they achieve anything? Nothing. Terrorism is still strong in Afghanistan. So you cannot. You need cooperation from within that country, any power. The major power in Syria is the Syrian army and of course the government.”