Nasser Weakened Syrian Army, Filled Prisons, Is Military Chief’s Charge - 05/10/1961

05/10/1961

Nasser Weakened Syrian Army, Filled Prisons, Is Military Chief’s Charge

Associated Press

DAMASCUS, Syria (AP) - President Gamal Abdul Nasser’s agents moved “like an octopus to weaken the Syrian army, suffocate freedom of citizens and to fill prisons” says the new Syrian army commander

 

Gen. Abdel Karim Zahredin told reporters Tuesday that was the reason the Syrian army rose against Nasser’s United Arab Republic last week and forcibly severed Syria’s two and a half year old ties with Egypt.

 

Zahredin also accused Cairo agents of stealing millions of dollars worth of Syrian arms and equipment for shipment to Egypt.

 

He said Nasser’s intelligence officers filled Syria’s prisons with political prisoners and stifled individual liberties.

 

“The army’s only aim was to redress wrongs and it was pledged not to interfere with the political life of Syria” he said.

 

Informed sources said that one way Nasser weakened the Syrian army was to send several dozen Syrian officers to Communist countries as students. They said Syria now has demanded their prompt return.

 

Interior Minister Adnan Kuwatly told newsmen the new Syrian regime had found a large number of political prisoners but had been unable to come up with an accurate count. Premier Mamoun Kuzbari estimated the number at about 30,000.

 

Kuwatly said the dreaded internal security system at one time had about 6,500 secret agents with a monthly payroll of about one million Syrian pounds - $2,800,000.

 

Syria will continue its ban on the Communist party, Kuwatly said adding that “we will leave the question of political parties to Parliament.”