Al Qaeda Fingered in Syrian Capital Bombings - East Idaho News
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Al Qaeda Fingered in Syrian Capital Bombings

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GETTY W 051012 DamascusBlasts?  SQUARESPACE CACHEVERSION=1336726164696LOUAI BESHARA/AFP/GettyImages(DAMASCUS, Syria) — Syria is pointing the finger at al Qaeda for causing the twin explosions in Damascus Thursday that left at least 55 people dead and more than 400 wounded.

It was the deadliest attack in the capital since President Bashar al-Assad instituted a crackdown on anti-government forces 14 months ago.

Witnesses said that two powerful car bombs apparently targeting the Syrian military intelligence building were detonated as people arrived at work.  The explosions were so destructive that dozens of cars were set on fire for blocks around.

At the United Nations, the Security Council issued a statement that “condemned in the strongest terms the terrorist attacks that occurred in Damascus, Syria, on May 10, causing numerous deaths and injuries.”

The Council’s 15 member nations also called on the Syrian government and rebels to immediately adhere to the six-point ceasefire plan crafted by special emissary Kofi Annan, which has done little to do stop the violence over the past month that has resulted in well over 9,000 deaths since March 2011.

Meanwhile, Syrian U.N. Ambassador Bashar Jaafari blamed al Qaeda for masterminding the bombings in Damascus and providing support to “terrorist groups” in his country.

At the White House, press secretary Jay Carney told reporters, “Attacks like these that result in the indiscriminate killing and injury of civilians are reprehensible and cannot be justified.  They also remind us of the urgent necessity of achieving a political solution before it is too late.”

Carney also said the twin bombings were not perpetrated by rebel forces seeking al-Assad’s removal from office.

Copyright 2012 ABC News Radio

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