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White House Accuses Russia of Cover-Up in Syria Chemical Attack White House Accuses Russia of Cover-Up in Syria Chemical Attack
(about 1 hour later)
WASHINGTON — The White House on Tuesday accused the Russian government of engaging in a cover-up of the chemical weapons attack last week by Syrian forces that prompted American airstrikes, saying that United States intelligence and numerous contemporaneous reports confirmed that the Syrians used sarin gas on their own people. WASHINGTON — The White House accused the Russian government on Tuesday of engaging in a cover-up of the chemical weapons attack last week by Syrian forces that prompted American missile strikes, saying that United States intelligence and numerous contemporaneous reports confirmed that the Syrians used sarin gas on their own people.
In a declassified four-page report that details United States intelligence on the chemical weapons attack, the White House asserted that the Syrian and Russian governments have sought to confuse the world community about the assault through disinformation and “false narratives.” In a declassified four-page report that details United States intelligence on the chemical weapons attack and contains a point-by-point rebuttal of Moscow’s claims, the White House asserted that the Syrian and Russian governments had sought to confuse the world community about the assault through disinformation and “false narratives.”
Senior White House officials, speaking on the condition of anonymity to discuss the government’s view, said Russia’s goal was to cover up Syrian regime culpability. The strongly worded document calls for international condemnation of Syria’s use of chemical weapons and harshly criticizes Russia for “shielding” an ally that has used weapons of mass destruction.
The officials said they could not comment on the possibility that the Russian government knew in advance of Syria’s plan to carry out the chemical weapons attack, or of a subsequent attack on a hospital that was treating victims. It marks a striking shift by President Trump, who entered office praising President Vladimir V. Putin of Russia and seeking common ground with him — and now appears to be moving swiftly to isolate him. The charges came as Rex W. Tillerson, the secretary of state, was preparing for meetings in Moscow on Wednesday, and as Congress and the F.B.I. are investigating potential ties between Mr. Trump’s presidential campaign and Russia.
But one official said that, given the history of close cooperation between the Syrian and Russian militaries, Moscow must answer for the attacks. Pentagon officials have said that Russian personnel were at the Syrian base used to launch the chemical weapons attack. “Russia is in an island on this,” Sean Spicer, the White House press secretary, said. He said there was little dispute about Syria’s responsibility for the attack — except by Moscow and the “failed states” of North Korea and Iran.
“This is not exactly a happy-time cocktail party of people you want to be associated with,” he said.
Senior White House officials, speaking on the condition of anonymity to discuss the government’s view, said Russia’s goal was to cover up the Syrian government’s culpability for the chemical attack. They asserted that the Syrian government, under pressure from opposition forces in the strategically vital Hama Province and lacking sufficient troops to respond, used the lethal nerve agent sarin to retaliate against rebels who were threatening government-held territory.
Neither Mr. Spicer nor any of the officials who detailed the United States government’s chronology of the chemical attack would comment on the possibility that the Russian government had known in advance of Syria’s plan to carry it out, or to launch a subsequent assault on a hospital that was treating victims.
But one official said that, given the history of close cooperation between the Syrian and Russian militaries, and that Russian forces were stationed at Al Shayrat airfield, which was used to launch the chemical attack, Moscow must answer.
“Moscow’s response to the April 4 attack follows a familiar pattern of its responses to other egregious actions,” the report said. “It spins out multiple, conflicting accounts in order to create confusion and sow doubt within the international community.”
Much of the report was devoted to rebutting Russia’s claim that the chemical attack last week was actually the result of a Syrian airstrike against a terrorist ammunition depot in Khan Sheikhoun that contained chemical weapons. The report also cited a video and commercial satellite imagery that showed that the chemical weapon had landed in the middle of a road, not at a weapons facility.
White House officials said United States intelligence agencies do not believe that the Islamic State or other terrorist groups have sarin gas.
The report also rejected Moscow’s claim that the April 4 attack was a “prank of a provocative nature” and denied Russian suggestions that the substance used might not have been sarin.
“Victims of the attack on April 4 displayed telltale symptoms of nerve agent exposure, including pinpoint pupils, foaming at the nose and mouth, and twitching,” the report said.