Reva's Guidance

This is a working document, subject to many updates and additions.

  I  will be heading up Task Force Corleone for insight collection, overall  guidance and analysis. On the tactical side, I've been working primarily  with Tristan, Ashley and Colby with Nate providing input where needed  on the military angle of this conflict. On strategic, I will be working  with Kamran, Emre and Nick.  Claim taskings on etherpad and keep me  updated each day from here on out on your progress.   Syria Guidance -  We are looking at  three possible scenarios: a protracted, multi-year crisis, in which the al Assad clan either defies the odds and survives in the long term or gradually weakens and eventually loses power; a crisis within the regime that fractures the Alawite community and leads to a long period of instability; and the strengthening of an opposition with foreign backing to the point that the Syrian regime is overwhelmed and collapses. (the last is the least likely based on what we know so far. On the more immediate, tactical side, we need to get a much firmer understanding of this opposition force that has gone from pitiful facebook protests in February to a near-country-wide movement that just won’t go away.  -       What is the reality of the Syrian opposition? Trace back the reporting on demonstrations to the source - investigate their funding, date of creation, base of operations and from where they’re getting assistance. Look for patterns in building the timeline on the reporting of the demonstrations and determine whether or not we are seeing the same phenomenon we uncovered in Iran following the 2009 presidential election – misleading mainstream media reports claiming spontaneous, massive demonstrations with the aim of creating a myth of imminent regime collapse. The media will continue to be infatuated by the persistence of the demonstrators; our job is to strip the emotion out of this issue and lay out what’s actually happening on the ground.  A great example of the type of things we need to dig into is something Tristan mentioned today about how a major opposition site for Syria is being advertised on Google (not cheap.)  -       Remember that the Western journalists that are making it into Syria are mostly on guided government tours. We need to utilize all assets, including OS (relying on our Arabic speakers,) creating fake Facebook accounts to follow opposition sites (we have Ashley on this,) and our own sources on the ground (I am communicating with our main source in the region and we also have people like Nick Grinstead who is in Lebanon talking to people who have recently come from Syria.) Ramp up all these efforts. -       How are the protestors sustaining themselves?  How are they communicating and organizing themselves?  What time of demonstrations are being carried out and how large?  What has the regime done so far to crack down?   Note that Syria doesn’t have any iconic place of protest like Egypt or Bahrain. The most I’ve seen is people gathering at mosques, but then the security forces will just lock them up. They’ve been limited to mostly symbolic, small group demos

so far, but we need to verify all this. I have a Canvas contact that will help us in understanding the Syrian protest techniques. -       Map out the various opposition factions, noting the heavy involvement of exiles. Drill into the current state of the Sunni Islamist opposition in Syria. Is there any evidence of protesters receiving arms, and if so, from where and through what routes?   -       Remember that the regime will expend the most resources in maintaining control over the capital Damascus and the country’s financial hub, Aleppo. Describe the level of dissent occurring in these two areas and how the regime has contained it thus far. Are there any real signs that the largely Sunni urban merchant class is willing to risk the cost of defection through strikes?    On the strategic side, we need to keep in mind the four basic pillars of the Al Assad regime: a)    Unity of the al Assad clanb)   Unity of the army (this goes beyond Sunni conscript defections/desertions – are the ranking Alawites in particularly holding together?)c)    Unity of the Alawitesd)   Baath party monopoly To understand why these four pillars matter the most, read this: http://www.stratfor.com/weekly/20110504-making-sense-syrian-crisis Unity of the al Assad clan – So far, this has been the strongest pillar. I have not seen any significant signs of dissent among the family members, (which makes sense, given that they face an existential crisis.) WATCH   - military intel chief Asef Shawkat (Bashar’s bro in law who has been suspected of coup plotting in the past and is a major rival of Bashar’s younger bro, Maher (head of Republican Guard,) and Rifaat al Assad (Bashar’s uncle, exiled in Paris, tried to overthrow Bashar’s daddy back in the day, but so far he seems to be appealing for Alawite unity) Unity of the army – There have been a number of reports in OS and via insight on a large number of Sunni conscript defections/desertions. Few things to keep in mind, though: Of the Syrian army’s 200,000 active troops, 70 percent are Alawites. Alawites also constitute some 80 percent of the officer corps. The number of Sunni officers in the Syrian army is severely limited, and it remains unclear how many of the reported defections/desertions include officers with significant expertise and operational experience. We have received insight indicating that most of the Sunni conscripts that have deserted have gone home and are not coming back to fight. Most of the army crackdowns have been led by the Republican Guards and 4th division – all Alawite, but these do not appear to have enough forces to contain the demonstrations - http://www.stratfor.com/analysis/20110609-defections-syrian-military . The Syrian Air Force has majority Sunni pilots, but all their ground control systems are run by Alawites.  The regime is also depending heavily on hired thugs (shabiha) and IRGC help for crackdowns – need to know how large of a force this is. WATCH  

 -   Any real signs of coup rumblings (keep in mind that the more advanced the opposition becomes, the more they will try to spread rumors like this.)  Sudden disappearances of major regime players, large-scale military defections, hints of purges within the military-intel apparatus, shut down of state comms  - Decision by the regime to deploy more demographically mixed army divisions. Identify which army divisions are most at risk  Ranking Alawite defections Grounding of air force (to avoid Sunni pilots from defecting and taking planes and equipment with them to a safe haven (there are no areas of Syria that would be off limits to the Syrian army UNLESS someone like Turkey decided to go ahead and establish a buffer zone. Status of shabiha/The regime is also depending heavily on hired thugs (shabiha) and IRGC help for crackdowns – need to know how large of a force this is. Sunni desertions transforming into armed insurgency Refusal of Alawite forces to carry out orders – this is especially something that needs to be watched as we are hearing rumors that the regime is contemplating a Hama style crackdown in northwestern Syria in Homs (more likely) or Idlib near the Turkish border. The source claims the regime is bringing back the generals from the Hama days to carry out the orders. Does that mean they can’t rely on the Alawite officers currently serving to do the job?  We need to figure this out. Unity of the Alawites So far, I have not seen signs of serious Alawite infighting. One thing we need to continue investigating is where the hell is Syrian Def Min Habib?  He disappeared. My running hypothesis is that he was trying to defect, the regime got to him first and he is either lying in a basement somewhere or is dead.  High-ranking Alawite defections like this are important b/c we need to assess whether they represent isolated attempts or broader Alawite dissent. Read  http://www.stratfor.com/analysis/20110809-syrias-former-defense-minister-found-dead and http://www.stratfor.com/analysis/20110810-syria-confusion-surrounds-former-defense-ministers-alleged-death WATCH   – for similar signs of Alawite dissent, any other Alawite senior members outside of the al Assad clan trying to rally support or distinguish themselves from the regime; signs of Alawites joining in demos, large-scale Alawite defections in the army Baath Party monopoly This is the main political vehicle that the al Assad regime has relied on to maintain its power. What we have heard (and what makes sense to me) is that the regime will claim political reform while creating the conditions for the rise of another state political party to dominate the system (kind of like what we see in Russia.) I don’t think this is a priority for the regime right now though, they’re more focused on cracking heads.  

WATCH   – Moves by the regime to create a new party system, get details on this as it comes out. Large-scale Baath party defections  FOREIGN SUPPORT  IRAN and HEZBOLLAH – Iran has a huge strategic interest in sustaining the al Assad regime in order to maintain a foothold in the Levant. How far is it willing and able to go to keep the regime in power? We have already heard of a significant IRGC presence in Lebanon – track numbers, movements, try to determine amount of financial aid and manpower being contributed to the cause.  We have heard and written about HZ facing an internal dilemma over Syria – the split is between the younger cadres that advocate full support for the Syrian regime under Iran’s guidance and the older generation that is worried about the political backlash in Lebanon and more focused on preparing for battle against the anti-Syrian factions. What has HZ contributed so far to the Syrian crackdown and what’s their current level of support? TURKEY – Turkey has done a lot of PR in trying to manage this crisis (even hosting oppostioin conferences that ironically make it easier for the Syrian regime to identify the dissenters,) but hasn’t really done much beyond rhetoric. Turkey will have a strategic, long term interest to bring a weak Syria under Sunni control and under Turkish influence. In the short term, it does not want to deal with a refugee crisis and a spillover of Kurdish separatists when it’s already dealing with other issues on the PKK front. What is the Turkish assessment of the Syrian opposition so far?  What is their relationship with the Islamist groups, in particular?  What kind of support is Turkey contributing (if any) to the opposition?  Get in touch with the journalists, aid agencies etc on the border who are interviewing the Syrian refugees. SAUDI ARABIA – KSA has a strategic interest in severing Iran’s foothold in the Levant. KSA already arms and finances Sunni militias (mainly al Hariri’s Future Movement) in Lebanon, most of which operate out of Tripoli in northern Lebanon. Is KSA actually arming and financing Syrian opposition? Which pars of the Syrian opposition? What level of support? How does it reach them?  What can Iran/Syria/HZ do to deter GCC support for the Syrian opposition (for example, threaten escalating Iranian covert activity in retaliation,) creating a Kurdish crisis for Turkey, etc. US, FRANCE – Look for things like supply of satellite phones for clues of foreign intel agencies supporting the opposition. What kind of support are they providing? How far are they willing to go at this point?  Post-Libya, I can easily envision a scenario where Obama is presented with a covert action finding for Syria as the next-best solution to doing ‘something’ about Syria without having to commit to another (and in this case, much more complicated,) military campaign. IRAQ – We heard from a source earlier that Iran has played a role in getting Iraq to deploy forces on the Iraq-Syria border to prevent smuggling of arms and other forms of support to Syrian opposition forces in the tribal al Jazeera Sunni borderland.  What’s the current disposition of military forces along the Syria-Iraq border?  

ROLES/TASKINGS

The document has 4 sections: Personalities, Organizations, Media Outlets, Locations. If you find a name of one of these four, please post in the appropriate place of the document. Keep thoughts, additional significant information, or link on an already listed element to a bullet point under the element. ** all these elements will be searched again. Since we are dealing with transliteration here, if you see an alternative spelling (which looks significantly different) for any element please list that as a bullet point ** The locations portion of the document is for significant events (deployed forces, significant violence, large rallies / protests), places to where opposition / refugees flee, conferences, or cities where anything listed under "Organizations" are based. Please include a link to the source identifying the significance of the location, and a date if it was an event which took place Personalities Rami Nakhle http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2011/apr/15/syria-activists-protests-in-view http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-middle-east-13168276 https://www.facebook.com/malath.aumran Initially fled to Beirut after Syrian security forces identified his true identity now in Washington D.C.

Yasser Tabbara Executive director for Syrian American Council http://www.nytimes.com/2011/07/03/us/03cnctabbara.html?_r=1

Yahya Bedir Syrian in exile for 32 years

Halis Halihi Dissident, anti-gov

Shibli al-Ayssami A Syrian former politician and opposition member. Fled to

Lebanon http://ipsnews.net/news.asp?idnews=56819 -- then Iraq, Egypt and finally the US. Was kidnapped while visiting Lebanon in May (24): http://www.nowlebanon.com/NewsArchiveDetails.aspx?ID=301349; http://www.connectionnewspapers.com/article.asp?article=353276&paper=68&cat=104

Hassan Abdel Azim 81, detained by security agents Lawyer by profession Secretary general of the Arab Socialist Union party and the spokesman for the National

Democratic Gathering, http://news.xinhuanet.com/english2010/world/2011-07/01/c_13959265.htm

Member of the National Democratic Grouping

Omar Qashash 85, detained by security agents. Member of People’s Democratic Party

Mahmoud Issa Opposition figure tried by a military court for owning a satellite phone and high-tech

computer.  Issa was arrested on April 19 after giving an interview to the pan-Arab television channel Al-Jazeera on the situation in Syria

A key figure of Syria's opposition movement, Issa was jailed in 1992 for eight years for belonging to the banned communist party and again in 2006 for three years.  In March 2007 he was charged along with prominent dissident leader Michel Kilo for spreading false information and sowing discord, after they signed a petition calling on Syria to recognise the independence of Lebanon.

http://www.nowlebanon.com/NewsArchiveDetails.aspx?ID=264622#ixzz1XBp2OHZ9

Qassem Azzawi – arrested by Syrian authorities in the eastern city of Deir Ezzor for taking part in a pro-democracy protest on August 26.

Ammar Abdulhamid – A Maryland-based opposition activist who left Syria in 2005 due to death threats from a member of Assad’s government. Old blog: http://amarji.blogspot.com/ Runs the Tharwa

Foundation: http://www.facebook.com/pages/The-Tharwa-Foundation/157302854282473 Tharwa Foundation, 8201 16th Street # 120, Silver Spring, MD 20910-3255, (301) 920-0108

(http://www.manta.com/c/mt47dxr/tharwa-foundation)

Ausama Monajed - a Damascus-born activist in London.  He estimates that 18 to 20 people are engaged in helping coordinate and cover the protests full time, though he boasts that he can find someone in his broader community to translate English to French at 4 a.m. He has a contact in every Syrian province, who in turn have their networks of 10 people.

Radwan Ziadeh - an opposition figure outside Syria http://www.globalpost.com/dispatch/news/regions/middle-east/110901/syria-protests-bashar-assad-opposition

Omar al-Idlibi - spokesman for local coordinating committees. “This initiative was rushed and not done in a professional way,” said Omar al-Idlibi. “The 94 members are not even in agreement with each other.”

Hussam Ayloush Executive director for CAIR in Southern California PR Chair for Syrian American Council

National Council of Syria (personalities)  Ahmed Ramadan, Director of Al Quds Press International News Agency (London-

based: http://www.ameinfo.com/83035.html; http://www.silobreaker.com/ahmed-ramadan-11_6928357)

Khaled Hassaleh (possibly Khalid Saleh?, Khalid Saleh is listed as a board member for Syrian American Council)

Hassan Hashmi  (http://oneclick.indiatimes.com/photo/0535cTR2kB00L?q=Istanbul) Louay Safi

o Chairman for Syrian American Council, had served on Islamic Society of North America

o ISNA has been accused of being an arm of Muslim Brotherhood, and was investigated by USG for alleged financial support of terrorism

o http://louaysafi.com/  D. Louay Safi Syrian writer and thinker and activist in defending the rights of Arab and Muslim communities in America. A founding member of the Center for the Study of Islam and democracy, and a Fellow of the Institute for the Study of social policies, and a fellow at the Center for Muslim-Christian Understanding, Georgetown University, and professor at the University is linked to Indiana and Purdue University in Indianapolis from the state of Indiana. Born in the city of Damascus, and received his education in high school and college, then earned a bachelor's degree in civil engineering and then I follow Balmagester doctorate in political science from Wayne State University in the U.S. state of Michigan.

o Chairman for Syrian-American Council since its inception in 2005. The Council is an NGO active in the United States and represents the largest gathering of Syrian diaspora, a founding member. Activities  in supporting the democratic movement in Syria and he is  in support of movements for democratization in the Arab world and  Islamic world. One  of the advocates of peaceful democratic transition and national unity  among the people of Syria, of all religious affiliations, cultural and  political advancement under a civil state based on the rule of law and  equality of citizens rights.

Abdul Basit Sida (http://www.gettyimages.com/detail/121931227/AFP) Adip Shishakil (Adib al-Shishakly?) 

o whose grandfather was an early president of Syria after independence from France in 1946 (http://www.reuters.com/article/2011/08/25/us-syria-opposition-idUSTRE77O0HR20110825)

Hassan Shalabi Syrian opposition leader who spoke at a press conference with other Syrian

dissidents http://www.gettyimages.com/detail/121931664/AFP An academic and activist

Opposition Religious Figures Motee Albateen

o Muslim preacher from the Syrian city of Daraa. Fled Syria in July after he was      shot by Syrian security forces in Daraa http://news.xinhuanet.com/english2010/world/2011-08/23/c_131069628.htm

At an NCS conference in Istanbul  (http://www.reuters.com/article/2011/08/25/us-syria-opposition-idUSTRE77O0HR20110825) August 20-21 and decided on 120 members.  Organizers included members of Syrian American Council (based in Illinois: http://sacouncil.com/ )   Moulhem Droubi

o a high-level member of the Syrian Muslim Brotherhoodo Also a member of the Muslim Brotherhood in Canada 

Sheikh Muteih al-Butaino a leader of the street protests in Deraa that helped ignite the uprising

Khaled al-Haj Saleho former political prisonero Scion of a leftist political family

Hazem Naharo Writer known for his blog posts.  He also translateso who was imprisoned during the uprising and managed to leave Syriao Member of National Democratic Grouping http://goo.gl/3vU0C

Abdulbaqi Yusufo a leader of the Kurdish Union Party who attended the gathering in Istanbul and said, “The

meeting was to discuss our position towards the Syrian regime. The meeting was also to form a national assembly—an interim Parliament for the immediate period after the regime change.  Parties with unclear positions on the regime will not take part.”  Yusuf dismissed claims that participating in the conference is dividing a Kurdish umbrella group of 11 parties. He also rejected the claim that Turkey has imposed its own agenda on the Syrian opposition. http://www.rudaw.net/english/news/syria/3941.html

o Other Kurds don't trust meetings such as the one held in Istanbul nor do some Kurds trust Turkey and their influence.  

Yaser Tabbara o A syrian dissident who was one of 50 present at the meetings held in Istanbul to establish

the council. o He said the goal of that national council (NCS) ""Our aim is to be the voice of the Syrian

revolution and to help increase the pressure on the Assad regime," The Syrian opposition groups said their main target is to " destroy the current regime in Syria" and to create infrastructure that prevents any foreign military intervention and maintain the unity of Syria as a whole." They do not ask for foreign military intervention. http://news.xinhuanet.com/english2010/world/2011-08/23/c_131069628.htm

Osama Kadi o He is a Canadian and part of the SCC and Kadi was among those who went to Turkey in

mid-August to help set up a transitional National Syrian Council. o He said the council is intended to be the international arm of the political opposition in

Syria, with the aim of helping set up a roadmap for activists within the country while communicating with the international community in ways activists in Syria can't.

Obeida al-Nahhas present at Istanbul conference

Khalif Ali Khalif Organizer of the conference (a different conference held in Ankara) http://goo.gl/IQHi9

Meeting in Ankara, Turkey Aug. 29 which yielded the names of the NATIONAL TRANSITION COUNCIL - people inside Syria say that this council will not be beneficial and that the coordinating efforts should be left for those inside Syria. http://www.globalpost.com/dispatch/news/regions/middle-east/110901/syria-protests-bashar-assad-opposition Burhan Ghalyoun - Chairman of the group. Political sociologist at Sorbonne University

o a Paris-based professor of political sociology at the Sorbonne, has been working to set up an advisory board of older opposition members.  The board, a group of 40 experienced opposition figures, would be available to advise the young activists in Syria, when and if they ask for it. http://www.globalpost.com/dispatch/news/regions/middle-east/110901/syria-protests-bashar-assad-opposition

Syria’s NTC consists of 95 members, 42 of them are from inside Syria and the rest--the majority--are opposition figures living outside Syria. This composition of the council could limit its success. It is likely that other groups that are not represented will establish a competing coalition. http://goo.gl/v6m1m

Meeting in Damascus June 27 – 200 opposition leaders were allowed to be gathered in Damascus to discuss Syria’s future. Seems like a publicity stunt because the govt. allowed it and the Muslim Brotherhood was not present. Some of the dissidents who gathered in Damascus sought to distance themselves from opposition activists who met in the Turkish resort of Antalya earlier this month and who included members of the Muslim Brotherhood as well as secular politicians. http://english.aljazeera.net/news/middleeast/2011/06/201162793932445830.html

Michel Kilo - The writer and pro-democracy campaigner Michel Kilo is a veteran on the opposition scene. He was born in the coastal city of Latakia in 1940 and studied journalism in Egypt and Germany. As a columnist he wrote opinion pieces for the Lebanese daily Annahar and the London-based Al-Quds Al-Arabi. Kilo, a Christian, was first arrested in the early 1980s. He later moved to France but came back to Syria in 1991. He wrote the draft of the 2005 Damascus Declaration, a statement of unity by opposition figures calling for political reform. He was jailed in 2006 after signing the Beirut-Damascus Declaration, urging Syria to recognise Lebanon's independence. He was sentenced a year later to three years in prison on charges of "of weakening national sentiment and encouraging sectarian strife." He was released in 2009.

Aref Dalila - was one of four activists who met an adviser to Assad in April to discuss a national dialogue. After that meeting the group said no dialogue could be held while security forces continued to kill and arrest protesters. Dalila was sentenced to 10 years in prison for spreading false information [EPA]. Born in Latakia, Dalila holds a doctorate in economics from Moscow University. He worked in Kuwait in the 1980s, and returned to Syria to serve as dean at Damascus University until he was banned from teaching in 1998, allegedly due to his criticism of the government's economic policies. He was arrested with at least nine other opposition activists during the Damascus Spring, a period of intense political and social debate in Syria which began after the death of President Hafez al-Assad in June 2000 and continued to some degree until autumn 2001, when most of the activities associated with it were suppressed by the government. His arrest was allegedly prompted by a lecture in which he called for democracy and transparency, discussing the deterioration of his country’s economy and alleged corruption among economic policy advisers. He was sentenced for 10 years for attempting to change the Syrian constitution, inciting armed rebellion and spreading false information. He was adopted by Amnesty International as a "prisoner of conscience" and was released by a special presidential order in August 2008.

Anwar al-Bunni - Human rights lawyer Anwar al-Bunni has defended clients such as opposition figures Riad al-Turk and Riad Seif, as well as Kurdish protesters. He was born into a Christian family active in the leftist opposition in 1959 in the city of Hama. He headed a short-lived European Union-funded human rights training centre in Damascus until it was shut down by the government in 2006. He was arrested later that year after signing an appeal for normalisation of relations between Syria and Lebanon - the so-called Beirut-Damascus Declaration. He was handed a five-year sentence for "spreading false or exaggerated news that could weaken national morale, affiliating with an unlicensed political association with an international nature, discrediting state institutions and contacting a foreign country", according to his lawyer. He was released in May this year.

Loay Hussein - Writer Loay Hussein was jailed from 1984 to 1991 for opposing the government. Just days after protests began in Deraa in March this year, he was arrested for speaking out in favour of the demonstrations. He was reportedly severely beaten by security forces. Talking to Al Jazeera as the opposition meeting in Damascus got under way, he urged the government to stop the crackdown and prosecution of political activists. He said he did not expect any concrete results to come out of the gathering.

"We are meeting to exchange viewpoints... we're quite keen to open up the political life and take the opportunity to offer alternatives to the regime."

Fayez Sara - Sara has spent years in prison on charges of "weakening national sentiment' [AFP]. Fayez Sara is a 61-year-old Syrian writer and journalist. He has written for numerous Arabic publications and is the founding member of the Committee for the Revival of the Civil Society. He is also a member of the Damascus Centre for Human Rights. He was arrested in April 2011 in Damascus, after having participated to a meeting of the Damascus Declaration National Council. A Damascus court investigated him on charges of attacking the prestige of the state, disseminating untrue reports with the aim of undermining national morale, influencing sectarian and ethnic divisions and "disrupting national purity". He had been released just a month earlier after being detained for two-and-a-half years. Sara, along with other arrested activists, had been convicted for "weakening national sentiment" and "spreading false or exaggerated news which would affect the morale of the country."

Mazen Darwish - born in 1974, has been a vocal critic of Syria's limited freedom of expression. He was the director of the Syrian Centre for Media and Freedom of Expression until it was shut down by authorities in 2009. Based in Damascus, he has been arrested during the Syrian uprising after regularly speaking to media about the protests. http://goo.gl/9PoZu

Abdel Karim Rihawi – President of the Syrian League for Human Rights said the meeting was not intended to take the place of the protesters in the streets.

Organizations Opposition Local Coordination Committees of Syria

o http://www.lccsyria.org/  o http://www.facebook.com/LCCSy o Opposes the regime. The site was registered by Andreas Bertsch May 21 2011 Bernau,

Berlin Postal Code:16321 Phone:+49.309210599 florian@posteo.deo activist groups with a wide network of sources on the groundo Spokesman for LCC Omar al-Idlibi

National Council of Syriao http://nationalcouncilofsyria.com/

Syrian Muslim Brotherhoodo Present upon deciding National Council

nominees http://www.ikhwansyria.com/ar/default.aspx (Arabic) Coordinating Committe of Maysaf

o http://www.facebook.com/Masyaf.Coordinating Coordinating Committee of the Syrian Revolution in the neighborhood of Jobar, Damascus

o http://www.facebook.com/Jobar.Revolution Coordinators of the Union of Rif, Damascus

o http://www.facebook.com/Rif.Dimashq Coordinating the Neighborhoods of Damascus

o http://www.facebook.com/pages/%D8%AA%D9%86%D8%B3%D9%8A %D9%82%D9%8A%D8%A7%D8%AA-%D8%A3%D8%AD%D9%8A%D8%A7%D8%A1-%D8%AF%D9%85%D8%B4%D9%82/196852877027427?ref=pb

The Official Spokesman for the Euphrates Revolution in Syriao http://www.facebook.com/alfurat2freedom?ref=pb

Coordinating the City of Salamiyeh

o http://www.facebook.com/salamiyeh.free?ref=pb Coordinating Darya - the local coordinating committees in Syria

o http://www.facebook.com/lcc.darayarev?ref=pb Syrian Lawyers for Freedom

o http://www.facebook.com/S.L.Freedom?ref=pb Immigrants free (to support the revolution against the Syrian regime and Bashar Assad)

o http://www.facebook.com/almohajroonalahraar?ref=pb Coordinating the youth in Raqqa

o http://www.facebook.com/Raqqa.Rev?ref=pb Friday Designation Group of the Syrian Revolution (This page is intended only to discuss the

names of the Syrian Revolution Fridays and vote on them.)o http://www.facebook.com/pages/%D8%AA%D8%B3%D9%85%D9%8A%D8%A9-

%D8%AC%D9%85%D8%B9%D8%A9-%D8%A7%D9%84%D8%AB%D9%88%D8%B1%D8%A9-%D8%A7%D9%84%D8%B3%D9%88%D8%B1%D9%8A%D8%A9/135461076531987?ref=pb

Norooz revolution in Syriao http://www.facebook.com/newrozrevolutioninsyria?sk=info

Coordinating in the neighborhood of the Syrian revolution in Jobar - Damascuso http://www.facebook.com/Jobar.Revolution?ref=pb

Coordinating a Unified Hassakeo http://www.facebook.com/uni.hassake.rev?ref=pb

Coordinating Suwayda / Branch of Shahba and villageso http://www.facebook.com/shahba.rev?ref=pb

Revolutionary Command Council, of Syrian in Baniaso http://www.facebook.com/pages/%D9%85%D8%AC%D9%84%D8%B3-

%D9%82%D9%8A%D8%A7%D8%AF%D8%A9-%D8%A7%D9%84%D8%AB%D9%88%D8%B1%D8%A9-%D8%A7%D9%84%D8%B3%D9%88%D8%B1%D9%8A%D8%A9-%D9%81%D9%8A-%D8%A8%D8%A7%D9%86%D9%8A%D8%A7%D8%B3/173227226078608?ref=pb

Coordinating the Area of Masyafo http://www.facebook.com/Masyaf.Coordinating?ref=pb

Coordinating the revolution of Zabadani and surrounding areaso http://www.facebook.com/zabadani.thawra?ref=pb

Coordinating the Neighborhoods of Damascuso http://www.facebook.com/pages/%D8%AA%D9%86%D8%B3%D9%8A

%D9%82%D9%8A%D8%A7%D8%AA-%D8%A3%D8%AD%D9%8A%D8%A7%D8%A1-%D8%AF%D9%85%D8%B4%D9%82/196852877027427?ref=pb

Coordinating Doctors in Damascuso http://www.facebook.com/pages/%D8%AA%D9%86%D8%B3%D9%8A

%D9%82%D9%8A%D8%A9-%D8%A3%D8%B7%D8%A8%D8%A7%D8%A1-%D8%AF%D9%85%D8%B4%D9%82/229825750363798?ref=pb

Syrian Revolution, Regions: Jassim - Nimr - Hara - Enjel - Nawao http://www.facebook.com/jasnaminkalhnwa?ref=pb

National Democratic Grouping

Free Syrian Armyo Officers  and soldiers who fled the Assad regime have announced the formation of  the

"Free Syrian Army." The force's spokesman, Col. Riyad Assad, called  on all Syrian

military personnel to flee their units and join the rebel  army.  "The Syrian Army now represents only the gangs that protect the  regime," Assad said in a video statement. 

o Here is a list of members of the Free Syrian Army who have announced themselves via youtube video posts http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Free_Syrian_Army#cite_note-13  i know it's Wikipedia and seems like it can't be trusted but I looked  at the sourcing for each of the alleged members and in their youtube  videos the information matches up.

o http://www.worldtribune.com/worldtribune/WTARC/2011/me_syria0973_08_03.asp

Free Officers' Movement

The National Organisation for Human Rights in Syria Ammar Al Qarabi – Leader; prominent rights campaigner http://goo.gl/3vU0C

Sawasiah – Syrian Human rights organizationo Mohannad Al Hassani – Leader; Jailed human rights lawyer 

People’s Democratic Party 

National Initiative for Changeo 150 members in Syria which represent a broad spectrum of groups opposing the

leadership of Assad.  The members are part of Syria’s diverse ethnic and religious communities. 

o Ausama Monajed, a London based spokesman for the group who says the opposition needs an ally like the army on its side if it wants to develop a credible alternative to the Assad government.  Monajed stated that members of the army are sympathetic to the demands of the protesters.  http://www.nytimes.com/2011/04/28/world/middleeast/28syria.html?_r=1&pagewanted=all

National Coalition for Changeo Has alleged Muslim Brotherhood members, however does not have formal ties with the

MB.  http://www.nytimes.com/2011/04/28/world/middleeast/28syria.html?_r=1&pagewanted=all

The Syrian Revolution - administered from abroad, has become the pulpit for the revolt — its statements de facto policy of the uprising.o http://www.facebook.com/Syrian.Revolution

National Salvation Councilo A meeting of Syrian opposition figures in Istanbul (around or before July 17) elected a 25-

member "national salvation" council composed of Islamists, liberals, and independents.  Of the close to 350 people who attended the opposition congress, many were Syrian exiles who had left the country years earlier. During the Istanbul meeting, the opposition groups appeared divided over whether to form a government-in-waiting or wait to see how the uprising unfolds.

o They finally compromised on forming the council which will meet on July 17 to appoint an 11-member committee. A further meeting will seek to tighten bonds between the opposition groups. The meeting took place a day after the biggest demonstrations so far in Syria. http://goo.gl/Ucn1g

Revolutionary Council of the Syrian Coordination Committees o Mohammed Rahhal - one of the leaders of the group.  Ash Sharq al-Awsat, "We made

the decision to arm the revolution, which will turn violent very soon, because what we are being subjected to today is a global conspiracy that can only be faced by an armed uprising." http://www.theatlantic.com/international/archive/2011/09/is-civil-war-in-syria-inevitable/244614/

Syrian Revolution General Commissiono The commission now boasts nearly 120 local committees, out of the several hundreds

believed to be scattered across the country.o Looks like they want to form their own National Council.  On Sept. 4 they stated that the

National Council will be formed in the next few days. http://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=244083422294188&set=a.236384236397440.51555.236339873068543&type=1&theater 

o http://www.facebook.com/SyrianRevolutionGeneralCommission?sk=wall o http://www.srgcommission.org o “You can’t start a political program on Facebook,” said one member, who said his group

has now merged with what some activists hope will be the unifying body for all protest networks inside Syria, the recently launched Syrian Revolution General Commission. The commission now boasts nearly 120 local committees, out of the several hundreds believed to be scattered across the country.. http://www.globalpost.com/dispatch/news/regions/middle-east/110901/syria-protests-bashar-assad-opposition

American-based Groups

Reform Party of Syria (RPS)o President;  Farid Ghadry.  Ghadry was born in Syria but is currently living in the United

States and closely monitors the situation in Syria through a network of contacts there. Full biography of Ghadry here http://www.asianamerican.net/bios/Ghadry-Farid.html

o In October of 2001, Ghadry, along with several American-Syrians, hatched the idea of the Reform Party of Syria. A constitution was written and a constructive and comprehensive program has been put in place to bring regime change to Syria. Today, the party is enjoying the tacit support from many organizations and people in the US administration and think tanks in Washington.  They are active in lobbying the US Congress and cultivating the media. 

o http://reformsyria.org/

Movement for Justice and Development (see bullet under "Satellite Channels")o According to WikiLeaks, since 2005 between $6 million and $12 million in U.S. funds

went to Syrian opposition groups. Much of this money went to the Movement For Justice and Development in Syria (MJD), an organization reportedly headed by former Muslim Brotherhood members.  The money apparently was funneled through the State Department’s Middle East Partnership Initiative. http://goo.gl/WmOKY

 American Islamic Forum for Democracy (AIFD)o http://aifdemocracy.org/ o Founded by Zuhdi Jasser (in addition to Save Syria Now)

Save Syria Nowo http://www.savesyrianow.org/ o Founded by Zuhdi Jasser (in addition to AIFD)

Syrian American Councilo http://sacouncil.com/ o SAC is a grassroots orginazation open to Syrians and Americans of Syrian origin.

Supports the creation of the Syrian National Council. They have nine chapters located in Arizona, Chicago, D.C./Maryland/Virginia, Detroit, Flint, Florida, Houston, Los Angeles, and Sacramento. 

o SAC lists the following as partner organizations: Syria First Coalition, Syria Emergency Task Force, Project Mobilize, ISNA, Coalition for Free Syria, CAIR Chicago, Arab American Action Network, and the Syrian American Society.

Syria First Coalitiono http://www.facebook.com/pages/Syria-First-Coalition-%D8%A5%D8%A6%D8%AA

%D9%84%D8%A7%D9%81-%D8%B3%D9%80-%D8%A3%D9%88%D9%84%D8%A7%D9%8B-%D9%80%D9%88%D8%B1%D9%8A%D8%A9/214896351881818?sk=info

o Just a Facebook page with no link to a website. o Contact email listed as h.moulham@gmail.com

Syria Emergency Task Forceo http://www.syrianemergencytaskforce.org/ o "Mission: The Syrian Emergency Task Force is a non-profit organization  based in

Washington, DC. SyrianETF was created to convey the democratic  aspirations of the Syrian people to the American people."

Project Mobilizeo http://www.projectmobilize.org/ o "Project Mobilize or Project M is a political action non-profit  organization dedicated to the

education, development, and political  advancement of politically marginalized communities seeking to fully  realize their rights and responsibilities at the local, statewide, and  national level. With an initial focus on the Muslim American community."

o President of Board: M. Yaser Tabbara, Esq.o No direct commentary on Syria

ISNA (Islamic Society of North America)o http://www.isna.net/ o Largest muslim orginazation in North Americao The Islamic Society of North America (ISNA) is an independent, open and transparent

        membership organization that strives to be an exemplary and unifying Islamic organization in North America by contributing to the betterment of theMuslim community and society at large

o labeled by the government as an ‘unindicted co-conspirator’ in the Holy Land Foundation case

o No direct commentary on Syriao In 1983, ISNA completed a $21 million ($46,292,895 today) headquarters complex in

suburban Indianapolis using funds raised in part from Muslim Brotherhood leader Youssef Nada and the Emir of Qatar. In 2008, it claimed 400,000 members.

Coalition for Free Syriao http://www.coalitionforfreesyria.org/ o Coalition for Free Syria (C.F.S.) is a nonprofit organization based in the United States. 

C.F.S. was mainly established to support the Syrian Peoples’  aspiration for freedom, and to provide them with material and moral  support to accomplish their freedom.

o "We are excited to announcee that Coalition for Free Syria had joined  forces with 9 other Syrian-American organizations to form a Syrian  Coordination Committee. Please check out www.syriancc.org for more details."

UK-Based Groups

Syria Observatory Human Rightso London based; an impromptu news source for the Syrian

uprising http://www.fastcompany.com/1770731/how-syrians-smuggled-ramadan-massacre-footage-onto-youtube

o activist groups with a wide network of sources on the ground

Muslim Brotherhood Syria - MB Influences February 2011, following the dramatic events in Tunisia and Egypt, the Syrian Muslim

Brotherhood re-launched their media campaign against the Syrian regime. They called on it to stop its suppression against the Syrian people and strongly criticized the poverty, hunger, and unemployment prevailing in Syria. 

April 29, A declaration sent to Reuters by the MB stated, "Do not let the regime besiege your compatriots. Chant with one voice for freedom and dignity. Do not allow the tyrant to enslave you. God is great." This was the first call to support the protesters in the streets. http://goo.gl/a11kI

There have been reports of the MB smuggling weapons in through Turkey and even fighting against Syrian forces in Jisr al-Shougr, but these reports are very haphazard and not verified. And Shaqfa denied such reports in a phone interview July 7    http://www.nowlebanon.com/NewsArchiveDetails.aspx?ID=279126

Facebook Page: http://www.facebook.com/pages/%D8%A7%D9%84%D9%85%D8%B1%D9%83%D8%B2-%D8%A7%D9%84%D8%A5%D8%B9%D9%84%D8%A7%D9%85%D9%8A-%D9%84%D8%A5%D8%AE%D9%88%D8%A7%D9%86-%D8%B3%D9%88%D8%B1%D9%8A%D8%A7/156199404405941

Official Website: http://www.ikhwansyria.com/ar/default.aspx?xyz=U6Qq7k%2bcOd87MDI46m9rUxJEpMO%2bi1s7rSuySlZi%2bl3dKqN1HPx0dNL0i7QTi9sKjNL88ODtDPPr4y2bc%2fI9OwDoWAkugc1WvCuYZSEyzgMtAvoMblCTzau6ibpomL9EHi27h4b0Iao%3d

Moulhem Droubio a high-level member of the Syrian Muslim Brotherhood; attended NCS conference in

Istanbulo Also a member of the Muslim Brotherhood in Canada 

Zuhair Salimo spokesman for Syria's Brotherhood based in London

o stated, "We have a desire to coordinate the position of the opposition," said Zuhair Salim." "We are supporters, and not creators. The voice of the street is a spokesperson for itself." This reflects a cautious position calibrated to avoid claiming leadership of a protest movement that Assad's government has characterized as run by armed, extremist Islamist groups. Salim said May 16 that the MB wasn't taking a stronger line, and will not call people onto the streets.

o Salim has become increasingly vocal since the Brotherhood in late April backed the protest movement, appearing on Arabic-language television programs to support what the group has called a "peaceful, popular intifada," or resistance. 

o Salim said the group is in touch with religious leaders, mosque imams, and their students in and outside Syria.  

o "The plan for now is, we say we are in cohesion with the protesters, and that means we will monitor the movement of the Syrian street," Mr. Salim said. "We're not in a position to approach them with something that they can't take on, and yet we can't abandon them so they feel they're on their own." http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052748703509104576327212414590134.html

o According to Sooryoon.net Al-Shaqfa and one of his deputies belonged to the organization's military arm. http://goo.gl/P3kDx

o Mr. Salim said the group has engaged in talks with a group of activists—minus a handful of figures who the Brotherhood had broke alliances with in the past— who have tried, but failed, for two months to form a broad enough coalition to represent Syria's opposition abroad (May 17 2011). http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052748703509104576327212414590134.html#printMode

**As you can see in the past the MB did not call for individuals to take to the street to protest.  However April 29 the MB issued a statement saying that the people need to take to the street. http://www.jihadwatch.org/2011/04/syria-muslim-brotherhood-behind-new-day-of-rage.html

Ali Sadreddine Bayanouni/Ali Sadr al-Din al-Bayanuni  البيانوني الدين صدر Former head - عليof MB Syriao Born in 1938 in Aleppo and brought up in a religious family, where his father and

grandfather were both well known Muslim scholars. He joined the Muslim Brotherhood while in secondary school, in 1954, and went on to receive training as a lawyer. After spending time in prison, he emerged to become the deputy leader of the Brotherhood in 1977. He left Syria two years later and eventually settled in Jordan, where he remained for twenty years. He arrived in Britain as a political refugee in 2000, after the Jordanian authorities requested he leave the country. He lives as a political refugee in London.

o In a 2005 interview Bayanouni said his role in Syria is "I lead the political and media activities. More broadly I attend to any other pressing matter relating to the Syrian MB."  

o Full text of the 2005 interview here, http://www.jamestown.org/programs/gta/single/?tx_ttnews[tt_news]=551&tx_ttnews[backPid]=180&no_cache=1 

Muhammad Riad al-Shaqfa - Suceeded Byanouni as the leader/Secretary General in the summer of 2010o Muhammad Riyad al-Shaqfa was born in Hama, 1944, to a father who served as the

leader of the local clerics’ association. He joined the Muslim Brotherhood in 1961. He studied in Damascus University in the 1960s and graduated in 1968 with a B.A. in civil engineering. In 1978 he became member of the Muslim Brotherhood local leadership in Hama, and its chairman one year later. In 1983 he became member of the Syrian

movement’s leadership. He apparently has a military background. Since the early 1980s (probably following the Hama events) Al-Shaqfa resided in Iraq. In 2003, he survived an assassination attempt in Baghdad with only light injuries. He has been living in Yemen since 2008. He said that, although he lived in Yemen, he was constantly in touch with the Muslim Brotherhood through the internet.6 In the past year, he expressed his willingness to turn the Syrian movement into a political party, similarly to Muslim Brotherhood movements in other countries. http://goo.gl/UxHcd It is said that he was part of the MB armed wing in Syria. http://www.nidaasyria.org/ar/text/news/2391

o Shafka has gathered a group of younger Turkey-based activists that are now trying to help activists inside Syria to coordinate, people close to the party said. http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052748703509104576327212414590134.html

o April 1, Shaqfa held a press conference in Istanbul which was broadcast live on Al Jazeera where he critisized Assad for being oppressive. Al-Shaqfa concluded by denying Bashar’s claims that foreign elements were pushing the Syrian people to a revolution, accused the president of being an obstacle to reforms, and announced that an intifada was expected to take place in Syria on April 1 (the day of the press conference).       http://goo.gl/UxHcd

o The Brotherhood continues to communicate, indirectly, with members of its earlier alliance, the Damascus Declaration, including veteran dissident Michel Kilo, who met with Assad advisor, Bouthaina Shaaban in early May.

o The  Shura Council of the Muslim Brotherhood in Syria met in Istanbul Aug 2  2010 to elect Riyadh Al-Shaqfa as the organization's general guide, and  Sheikh Hatem Al-Tabsha as council chairman. http://goo.gl/P3kDx

o Jan 20 2011 Shaqfa said the MB will not seek power in Syria. http://www.ikhwanweb.com/article.php?id=27887

Sheikh Hatem Al-Tabshao Elected as as council chairman in a meeting in Istanbul Aug 2 2010. http://goo.gl/P3kDxo It has been stated that Al-Tabsha used to be part of the armed Muslim Brotherhood wing

in Syria. http://www.nidaasyria.org/ar/text/news/2391

Sheikh Yousuf Al-Qaradhawi - one of the most prominent Sunni clerics who is associated with MB.o Signed a Fatwa Aug. 23 http://www.memri.org/report/en/0/0/0/0/0/0/5589.htm#_edn1 

with the religious scholars of Kuwait, the head of the International  Union of Muslim Scholars, and Dr. Shafi Al-Ajami (secretary of the  Association of Shari'a Scholars in the Gulf). The fatwa forbids  assisting this regime, calls on the Syrian ambassadors to resign, and  exhorts the Arab and Islamic countries to assist the Syrian people. The  press conference where the fatwa was read was organized The Gulf Association for Solidarity with the Syrian People.   http://atlasshrugs2000.typepad.com/atlas_shrugs/2011/08/muslim-brotherhood- goes-after-syria-fatwa-in-the-gulf-signed-by-yousuf-al-qaradhawi.html

o Al-Qaradawi was a follower of Hasan al-Banna during his youth and a  longtime member of the Muslim Brotherhood.    He has twice turned down offers to be its leader.   In an interview on the Dream channel, al-Qaradawi states the following  about his relationship with the Muslim Brotherhood (MB): “ I joined the  Muslim Brotherhood Group and worked with Imam al-Banna. I was influenced  by al-Banna’s moderate thoughts and principles ...(Later) MB asked me  to be a chairman, but I preferred to be a spiritual guide for the entire  nation... MB consider me their Mufti, but I don’t have a relation with  the

organization, because being an MB chairman is something difficult  requiring a highly sophisticated wisdom, and I prefer to be devoted to  the entire nation, and I feel comfortable with this decision. I like MB  and consider them the nearest group to be righteous." http://www.ikhwanweb.com/article.php?id=3537  He's not specifically tied with the Syrian MB, but he was involved with  negotiations between the Syrian regime and the MB in the past.  He also  spoke for Syrian liberty and against the Syrian regime during his  sermon in Doha March 26. http://goo.gl/JF6LF

o Sheikh  Al-Qaradawi he was born in a small village in the Nile Delta in 1926.   He studied Islamic theology at the Al-Azhar university in Cairo, from  where he graduated in 1953.  Twenty years later he was awarded a PhD for  his thesis on how Zakat (Islamic alms) can contribute to solving social  problems. He has written extensively on Islam and is regarded as a  respected scholar.  His website describes him as the most prominent  voice of moderation in Islam (wasatiyya), building bridges between  traditionalists and modernisers.  It is his involvement with the  outlawed Egyptian Muslim Brotherhood that has landed him in trouble.   The group, founded in the 1920s, is one of the largest and most  influential Islamist organisations in the region.  It has a history of  violence, but now says it is committed to peaceful means to create an  Islamic state.  Sheikh Al-Qaradawi has been jailed several times in  Egypt.  But he has lived and worked in the Gulf State Qatar since 1963  where he now heads an Islamic research centre. http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/3874893.stm

o Al-Qaradawi enjoys considerable influence among Sunni Muslims worldwide, including Hamas. It may be assumed that Al-Qaradawi also has influence among the Sunni Muslim population in Syria. Al-Qaradawi was joined by Jordan’s Muslim Brotherhood, which called on the Syrian regime to promote democracy and national reconciliation, and abolish the emergency laws (Jordanian Muslim Brotherhood website, April 4).     http://goo.gl/UxHcd

o Al-Qaradawi expressed support for a revolution in Syria during his March 25 Friday sermon. The following is a summary of the sermon, as broadcast on Al-Jazeera Live (March 25, 2011) and on CNN Arabic (April 1): He said Syria was deserving of the 'revolution train' and condemned the Syrian security forces for ignoring the sanctity of the mosques and having murdered the demonstrators at the Al-Omari mosque in Daraa. He further added that the fact of their murder shows that the Syrian revolution has already been won.  Al-Qaradawi criticized the Syrian constitution and argued that “the story of the Baath [party] ended with Saddam Hussein. The age of totalitarian party has come to an end.  He called on the Syrian regime to change, and said that “those who do not change will be trampled.” 

Hamas Hamas is in a bit of a tough position because they do receive guidance from Al-Qaradawi but

Qaradawi calls for the revolution to take Syria and for protesters to call for their rights. Sheikh Al-Qaradawi is a primary religious authority for Hamas and its supporters, and the Muslim Brotherhood—persecuted and suppressed by the Syrian regime—is Hamas’ mother movement. Furthermore, thinking ahead Hamas needs to take into account that complete identification with the Assad regime may compromise it if and when it is toppled. 

A statement was released by the Hamas leadership in Damascus (Palestine-info, April 2). In the press release, Hamas stresses its support of “both the Syrian leadership and the Syrian people” as they have supported it and the Palestinian people “and their legitimate rights”. The announcement states that the events in Syria are that country’s own internal affair, and that Hamas hopes that “the current events in Syria end in a way that will fulfill the aspirations and desires of the Syrian people while maintaining Syria’s stability”. In the announcement, Hamas

avoided taking a definite, firm stand for the Syrian regime, expressing implicit support both for the regime and, implicitly, for the anti-regime demonstrators. http://goo.gl/UxHcd

Salafist Involvement

Pro-Gov Plot Against Syria

o http://plot.vsyria.com/ o might be a media outlet only of crazy conspirators, but will be helpful for finding additional

personalities

Media Outlets

OnSyriao http://www.onsyria.com/ o https://www.facebook.com/Syrian.Revolution

Wikisham (youtube)o http://www.youtube.com/user/wikisham

Syrian Weeko http://www.facebook.com/SyrianWeek?sk=info

Locations

Logistics

Satellite Phones Several say they relied on Syrian businessmen — abroad or in Syria — to finance one of their

most impressive feats. After witnessing the Egyptian government’s success in shutting down the Internet and mobile phone networks in January, they made a concerted attempt to circumvent a similar move by delivering satellite phones and modems across Syria. Ammar Abdulhamid, an activist in Maryland, estimated that they delivered 100 satellite phones, along with hundreds of cameras and laptops. http://www.nytimes.com/2011/04/24/world/middleeast/24beirut.html?pagewanted=all

In the movement’s infancy, expatriate Syrians who operated Web sites, smuggled in donated satellite phones and computers, and provided leadership on how democracy evolves helped to create crucial momentum. But their role is fading as Syria’s internal opposition movement struggles toward political maturity and its leadership begins to coalesce, some of these overseas activists say. http://www.nytimes.com/2011/04/28/world/middleeast/28syria.html?_r=1&pagewanted=all

This is a translated memorandum from the General Head of the National Security Office.  It was issued May 22.  “Internet is to be completely disconnected in Daraa, Homs and the eastern provinces starting on Wednesday at 14:00.  Upload packet size to be reduced in all other areas.  Issuing an announcement, via Ministry of Information through local media, informing all citizens, that owners of unregistered satellite phones are obliged to submit them

to the General.  Establishment of Telecommunications or any of its branches in Syria, within 10 days of the date of the announcement, because such phones are considered means of dealing with foreign parties that intend to damage the national security, and any phone to be found after the stated period means that the owner is an agent of a foreign enemy.”  http://justjournalism.com/opeds-features/leaked-syrian-document-shows-how-assad-banned-internet-access-and-satellite-phones/

Thuraya satellite phone network used by pro-democracy activists to circumvent the secret police. Thuraya is owned by the UAE. http://articles.latimes.com/2011/apr/26/world/la-fg-syria-neighbors-20110427/2

Satellite Channels The London-based satellite channel, Barada TV, began broadcasting in April 2009 but has

ramped up operations to cover the mass protests in Syria as part of a long-standing campaign to overthrow Assad.Barada TV is closely affiliated with the Movement for Justice and Development, a London-based network of Syrian exiles. Classified U.S. diplomatic cables show that the State Department has funneled as much as $6 million to the group since 2006 to operate the satellite channel and finance other activities inside Syria.  The U.S. money for Syrian opposition figures began flowing under President George W. Bush after he effectively froze political ties with Damascus in 2005. The financial backing has continued under President Obama, even as his administration sought to rebuild relations with Assad. In January, the White House posted an ambassador to Damascus for the first time in six years. It is unclear whether the State Department is still funding Syrian opposition groups, but the cables indicate money was set aside at least through September 2010. While some of that money has also supported programs and dissidents inside Syria, The Washington Post is withholding certain names and program details at the request of the State Department, which said disclosure could endanger the recipients’ personal safety. http://www.washingtonpost.com/world/us-secretly-backed-syrian-opposition-groups-cables-released-by-wikileaks-show/2011/04/14/AF1p9hwD_story.html

This is the wikileak document http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-srv/special/world/wikileaks-syria/cable1.html

Internet Access According to LCC Syria the internet and landlines are now back in Homs as of Sept.

7. http://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=280500391977104&set=a.221856221174855.74557.217848338242310&type=1&theater

Damascus Declarationhttp://www.demdigest.net/damascusdeclaration.htmlSignatories to the Declaration

Parties and Organizations:Democratic National Grouping in SyriaKurdish Democratic Alliance in SyriaCommittees for the Revival of Civil SocietyKurdish Democratic Front in SyriaFuture Party (Shaykh Nawwaf al-Bashir)

National Figures:Riyad Sayf -Jawdat Sa'idDr Abd-al-Razzaq IdSamir al-NasharDr Fida Akram al-HuraniDr Adil ZakkarAbd-al-Karim al-DahhakHaytham al-MalihNayif Qaysiyah