Syria demands apology, compensation for raid

[unhappycamper]

Syria demands apology, compensation for raid
By Albert Aji - The Associated Press
Posted : Thursday Oct 30, 2008 6:07:12 EDT

DAMASCUS, Syria — Syria demanded Wednesday that the U.S. and Iraq apologize for an American commando raid mounted from Iraqi territory that killed eight people.

Syrian Deputy Foreign Minister Fayssal Mekdad denied U.S. claims that the helicopter raid by special forces Sunday killed a top al-Qaida in Iraq operative who was about to conduct an attack in Iraq.

“We ask of them (Iraqis) and the Americans to investigate and provide us with the background for such a criminal, terrorist act against an independent state ... make an official apology for this aggression and pledge not to repeat it,” Mekdad said in an interview. “What is required of the American government is to confess to this aggression and not be cowardly.”

The strike Sunday near the border with Iraq was an extremely rare U.S. attack on Syrian territory. Though there has been no formal acknowledgment from Washington, officials speaking on condition of anonymity have said the target was Badran Turki al-Mazidih, known as Abu Ghadiyah, an Iraqi national linked to al-Qaida in Iraq who was involved in smuggling fighters across the border.

Mekdad said that all the victims were Syrian civilians and that the government did not know the whereabouts of Abu Ghadiyah.


Rest of article at: http://www.armytimes.com/news/2008/10/ap_syria_raid_102908/%2e