Freed Belgian Hostage Claims Rebels Launched Gas Attack In Syria

Italian reporter Domenico Quirico and Belgian teacher Pierre Piccinin- who were abducted by rebel forces in Syria and then pawned off to different Islamist groups, and were just released after five months in captivity-  have some very interesting things to say about their hostage days and what is going on in the country.

Treated like an animal Quirico said this of Syria and his captors:

"Even children and old people tried to hurt us. Maybe I am putting this in overly ethical terms but in Syria I really found a country of evil," he said.
[snip]
"Our captors were from a group that professed itself to be Islamist but that in reality is made up of mixed-up young men who have joined the revolution because the revolution now belongs to these groups that are midway between banditry and fanaticism," he said.

"They follow whoever promises them a future, gives them weapons, gives them money to buy cell phones, computers, clothes."

Such groups, he said, were trusted by the West but were in truth profiting from the revolution to "take over territory, hold the population to ransom, kidnap people and fill their pockets".

The rest of his story here.

In the interview on RTL's Le Journal (see below), Piccinin claims that the rebels and not Bashar al-Assad's government forces were responsible for the chemical weapons attack in Ghouta.  Apparently, information they garnered from a skype conversation the rebels had in English, the attack was a means of forcing the West into the conflict. Thank you Obama.

The following information was posted on the EretzZen YouTube channel:

"In this conversation, they said that the gas attack on two neighborhoods of Damascus was launched by the 'rebels' as a provocation to lead the West to intervene militarily," Quirico told Italy's La Stampa. "We were unaware of everything that was going on during our detention in Syria, and therefore also with the gas attack in Damascus."

While stating that the rebels most likely exaggerated the accident's death toll, the Italian journalist stressed that he could not vouch whether "the conversation was based on real facts." However, he said that one of the three people in the alleged conversation identified himself as a Free Syrian Army general, La Stampa reported.

Based on what both men have learned, Peccinin told RTL that it would be "insane and suicidal for the West to support these people."

"It pains me to say it because I've been a fierce supporter of the Free Syrian Army in its rightful fight for democracy since 2012," Piccinin added.

"There was sometimes real violence...humiliation, bullying, mock executions...Domenico faced two mock executions, with a revolver," Piccinin told RTL.

Both men were kidnapped in Syria last April by a group of armed men in pickup trucks who were believed to be from Free Syrian Army.

According to Piccinin, the captors soon transferred them over to the Abu Ammar brigade, a rebel group "more bandit than Islamist."

"We were moved around a lot...it was not always the same group that held us, there were very violent groups, very anti-West and some anti-Christian," Piccinin said.

Just more proof that we have no clue what is going on in that country.