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TOKYO – The head of Syrian's main opposition group said Friday the twinsuicide car bombings that killed 55 people in Damascus appeared tobe the work of al-Qaida forces he said were linked to the regime ofPresident Bashar Assad. Paris-based Burhan Ghalioun, chief of the opposition SyrianNational Council, said the cease-fire brokered by U.N. envoy KofiAnnan was "in crisis" because it lacks teeth. Speaking at a news conference in Tokyo, Ghalioun said there wouldbe "no peaceful solution" to the violence in Syria "unless a threatof force against those who don't implement the plan." In Damascus, workers were paving over two massive craters caused bythe bombs that struck a Syrian military compound Thursday. Theattack, which also wounded more than 370 people, was the deadliestagainst a regime target since the Syrian uprising began 14 monthsago. Security forces armed with Kalashnikov rifles were guarding thecompound Friday. The bombings fueled fears of a rising Islamic militant elementamong the forces seeking to oust Assad and dealt a further blow tointernational efforts to end the bloodshed. Assad's governmentblamed the blasts on armed terrorists it says are driving theuprising. But Ghalioun said he didn't think "these radical forces ... areisolated from the regime." "The relationship between the Syrian regime and Al Qaida is verystrong," he said, adding that the Syrian government had cooperatedwith al-Qaida against U.S. forces in Iraq, as well as in itsmovements in Lebanon. The United States condemned the bombings and expressed concern thatal-Qaida may be increasingly taking advantage of Syria's prolongedinstability. Defense Secretary Leon Panetta told reporters thatU.S. intelligence indicates "an al-Qaida presence in Syria," butsaid the extent of its activity was unclear. Ghalioun is visiting Tokyo at the government's invitation and isappealing for diplomatic support and humanitarian aid. He said theAnnan cease-fire plan will die if Assad's goverment continues tochallenge it and "continues using terrorist bombings." "Assad feels that he can run away from implementing all of hisobligations without any consequences," he said. ___ Associated Press Writer Bassem Mroue contributed to this reportfrom Damascus. We are high quality suppliers, our products such as Portable Solar Charger , China Electronic Pill Box Timer for oversee buyer. To know more, please visits Breathalyzer Mouthpieces.
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