Syria Test-Fires Scud Missiles

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Syria Test-Fires Scud Missiles
Voices Magazine Newswire

3 June 2005
Israeli military officials say Syria test-fired three Scud-type missiles a week ago, including on that disintegrated over Turkey and rained parts down on Turkish farmers. Israel says the tests were the first since 2001 and are part of a program to test missiles designed to spread chemical weapons via airburst. The missiles, say Israeli military officials, are of North Korean design.

One missile was believed to be an older Scud-B, with a range of about 185 miles. Two others were Scud-Ds, with ranges of about 435 miles, the Israelis said. Israeli officials said they believed the tests were an act of defiance by Syrian President Bashir al-Assad, who had been under pressure from the United States and the U.N. to remove all Syrian troops from neighboring Lebanon - a pull-out that was completed earlier this month.

The U.S. has also been pressuring Assad's regime to do more to stop Iraqi insurgents holding up in Syria from crossing the border with impunity to attack U.S. and coalition forces. "This is really putting your fingers in the eyes of the Americans, saying, 'I'm not dancing to your flute,' " a senior Israeli military official told The New York Times.

"The tests are probably needed for the missile project, but this is Bashir taking a risk here and sending a message," said the official. Israel still occupies the Golan Heights, formerly part of Syria which the Jewish state captured after being invaded by Syria and other Arab countries in the 1967 war.

Syria also "harbors the leadership of the Palestinian militant groups Hamas and Islamic Jihad and helps them, as well as the Iranian-sponsored Hezbollah, with money, arms and sponsorship," the Times reported, all of which concerns Israel. Regarding Lebanon, Israel says Syria continues to station intelligence agents there, even though all uniformed military personnel have left. Syria also hosts a number of Palestinian and other terrorist organizations which have vowed to destroy Israel.
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