France pins chemical attack on Syrian regime

Forces loyal to Syrian President Bashar al-Assad carried out a "massive and coordinated" chemical attack on August 21, according to a declassified French intelligence report.

The nine-page document, released on Monday, lays out five points that suggest Assad was behind the attacks in suburbs of the capita, Damascus. "This poses a major threat to national and global security," the source said.

Reuters news agency reported that the intelligence includes satellite imagery showing the attacks coming from government-controlled areas to the east and west of Damascus and targeting rebel-held zones around Ghouta.

A source told Reuters that Assad's forces had since bombed the areas to wipe out evidence.

"Unlike previous attacks that used small amounts of chemicals and were aimed at terrorising people, this attack was tactical and aimed at regaining territory," the source said.

The AFP news agency said the attack killed at least 281 people - significantly less than the Washington estimate of 1,429 and nearer the figure given by Medicins Sans Frontieres.

Al Jazeera has not yet seen the declassified report.

At a news briefing, Jean Marc Ayrault, the French prime minister, said: "On the 21st of August the regime of Assad used massive chemical weapons for the oppression of his people."

"No one denies the reality. Elements we have obtained allow us to hold the regime responsible. This act cannot remain unanswered.

"What is at stake is to discourage all from using such weapons again. To dissuade Assad from using them again by applying firm action.

"Our aim is not to overthrow the regime. There will only be a political solution in Syria. It is not for France to act alone. France respects international law."

Assad interview

The report was released as the French newspaper, Le Figaro, published excerpts of an interview with Assad, in which he warned that the Middle East was a "powder keg" and that any intervention would make it explode.

Assad challenged Western powers including the United States and France to show the world proof that his government was behind the chemical attack.

Assaid said: "Anyone who accuses must provide evidence. We challenged the United States and France to show us proof.

He warned that any attack on Syria would bring the Middle East to conflagration:

"The Middle East is a powder keg, and the fire is approaching today. We must not only talk about the Syrian response, but what might happen after the first strike. Nobody knows what will happen.

"Everyone will lose control of the situation when the powder keg explodes. Chaos and extremism will spread. The risk of a regional war exists."

Earlier, the Russian foreign minister, Sergey Lavrov, rejected Western intelligence as absolutely unconvincing".

Lavrov said "there was nothing specific there, no geographic coordinates, no names, no proof that the tests were carried out by the professionals". He did not describe the tests further, although his US counterpart, John Kerry, says the US has field evidence which shows sarin gas was used in the August 21 attack.

"What our American, British and French partners showed us in the past and have showed just recently is absolutely unconvincing," he continued.

"And when you ask for more detailed proof they say all of this is classified so we cannot show this to you."

Source: Al Jazeera and agencies