Concern about the Syrian
al Qaeda-affiliated group Jabhat al-Nusra, also known as the al-Nusra
Front, is at an all-time high, according to the analyst, with as many as
10,000 fighters and supporters inside Syria. The United States has designated al-Nusra Front as a terrorist group with links to al Qaeda in Iraq.
That assessment is shared
by some Middle Eastern intelligence agencies that have long believed
the United States is underestimating the Sunni-backed al Qaeda movement
in the country, according to a Middle East source. It is also believed
that Iran is running training camps inside Syria for Hezbollah and that
other Iranian militia fighters are coming into the country to fight for
the regime.
The analyst has been part
of recent discussions with the U.S. intelligence community, which is
urgently working to understand what is going on inside the war-ravaged
country and is consulting outside experts. The analyst, who declined to
be named because of the sensitive nature of the information, stressed
that all assessments about Syria are approximate at best because of the
lack of U.S. personnel on the ground.
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With the growing strength
and support for al-Nusra, U.S. concerns are growing about its influence
to further destabilize Syria and potentially pose a greater regional
threat, administration officials have told CNN.
"They are making
desperate attempts to get chemical weapons," the analyst told CNN,
noting that in the past few weeks, security services in Iraq and Turkey
arrested operatives who were "trying to get their hands on sarin."
A senior U.S.
intelligence official told CNN recently that gathering intelligence on
Syria, including its potential future use of chemical weapons, is now
one of the top priorities of the U.S. intelligence community.
The Obama administration announced last week that it will start arming rebels because Syria crossed a "red line" by using chemical weapons -- including sarin gas -- against the opposition.
The development is
likely to be at the center of the Group of Eight summit in Northern
Ireland on Monday, setting a riveting backdrop to the meeting after
Syria's longtime ally Russia said the move supports "those who kill
their enemies and eat their organs."
In one corner, the
United States, the United Kingdom and France say rebels need more help
in ousting a 42-year dynasty and ending a regime that crushes dissent
with lethal force.
In the other corner, Russia says its supply of arms to the Syrian regime isn't nearly as bad as sending weapons to the rebels.
"I believe you will not
deny that one should hardly back those who kill their enemies and eat
their organs. ... Do you want to support these people? Do you want to
supply arms to these people?" Russian President Vladimir Putin asked
Sunday.
He was referring to a widely circulated video
that allegedly showed a rebel fighter eating the heart of a dead
soldier. The video, posted by a group loyal to the Syrian government,
raised questions about the rebels' credibility, even though the Syrian
opposition widely condemned the act.
On Monday, Putin and
U.S. President Barack Obama will meet one-on-one to discuss the war that
has now killed more than 92,000 people, including thousands of
children.
On front line with al-Assad fighters
UK, Russia differ over Syria
Chaos on the ground
While world leaders
struggle to form a unified front, the seesaw battles rage on inside
Syria -- and at a staggering price. About 5,000 Syrians are killed every
month, the United Nations said.
The opposition once
controlled the Damascus suburb of Yarmouk, which served as a Palestinian
refugee camp. But Palestinian fighters supporting the regime say
they're taking the area back.
"We will keep fighting
until we get rid of Jabhat al-Nusra and al Qaeda and all other
insurgents in Syria," fighter Abu Ihad told CNN's Fred Pleitgen in
Yarmouk.
The pro-government
fighters said they're angry about the U.S. decision to arm the
opposition, especially since members of al-Nusra Front have joined the
rebels.
In recent weeks, the
rebels have suffered a series of devastating setbacks. Their loss of the
stronghold Qusayr coincided with the arrival of Hezbollah fighters
supporting Syrian troops.
Syrian rebels have
pleaded for anti-tank and anti-aircraft weapons, saying they are
outgunned by President Bashar al-Assad's military.
The U.S. has a new game plan
Obama has not detailed the increased military support, but Washington officials told CNN that the plan includes providing small arms, ammunition and possibly anti-tank weapons to the rebels.
The chairman of the
Senate Foreign Relations Committee told CNN's Candy Crowley there is a
strong consensus on arming Syrian rebels.
"As the Foreign
Relations Committee voted nearly a month ago on a strong bipartisan vote
of 15-3 ... we believe the rebels need to be armed, the moderate
elements of those rebels," said Sen. Robert Menendez, D-New Jersey.
"Public intelligence
sources have said that we've come to know who, in fact, we could
ultimately arm. And the reality is we need to tip the scales, not simply
to nudge them. And the president's moving in the right direction."
Britain has not decided
whether to provide weapons to rebels but has provided technical
assistance and training alongside the United States, France and its
other allies.
"I'm in no doubt that
responsibility lies with President Assad. It is the onslaught that he
has inflicted on his own people which is the primary cause of the
suffering, the humanitarian catastrophe and the deaths we have seen,"
British Prime Minister David Cameron said Sunday.
Russia's president said
he believed both sides were responsible for the bloodshed. Putin said he
hoped the G8 summit this week would help broker a peace deal to end the
carnage.
But it's unclear how many more lives may be lost in the meantime.
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