Syria says thousands arrested trying to cross into Iraq

New York (dpa) - Syria said Thursday it has arrested as many as 1,200 people trying to cross into Iraq in recent weeks as part of efforts to counter accusations that Damascus was harbouring Iraqi insurgents.
The Syrian mission to the United Nations said some of those arrested, mostly foreigners, were sent back to their home countries, including Saudi Arabia, Kuwait and Libya.

Washington has complained that Damascus failed to step up measures, particularly at the border with Iraq, to arrest suspects wanting to join the opposition in Iraq where armed insurgents continued to inflict heavy civilian casualties with almost daily bombings in recent weeks.

It had been speculated that Abu Musab al-Zarqawi, a major Al-Qaeda terrorist leader, was hiding in Syria. Damascus has denied any links with al-Zarqawi.

The apparent arrests followed a declaration earlier this week by the Syrian ambassador to the United States, Imad Moustapha, that Damascus was weary of repeated complaints from Washington and had ''severed all links'' with the U.S. military and Central Intelligence Agency.

After the September 11, 2001 terrorist attacks on the United States, Syria started working with the U.S. sharing intelligence on al-Qaeda, but the U.S. said this week the help was ''minimal and sporadic''.

Syria has also been in Washingtons diplomatic cross hairs because of its meddling interference in Lebanese politics. Under intense international pressure, Syria has since withdrawn its 14,000 troops from Lebanon since the Hariri assassination, ending nearly 30 years of occupation. dpa tn pr