By Nahed al Husaini and Gordon Duff

Two French nationals along with Syrian Kurds were arrested in a bizarre attempt on the life if Bashar al Assad, President of Syria. The French government has already contacted Damascus through direct channels asking for the return of those arrested. The French indicate they are willing to enter into negotiations for the return of the captive accused assassins.

The alleged conspirators are said to have been working with a Kurdish terror cell that had penetrated the household staff of Assad. The Kurds had planted explosives inside detergent containers at the presidential palace south of Damascus. The attack was not successful.

The French security officers arrested had been in Syria earlier as part of a secret combined French/Syrian task force on terrorism. Two French intelligence officers who were smuggled across the border into Syria by Al Nusra militants south of Qalamoun, scene of an intense battle that has raged for weeks.

Their previous visit to Damascus earlier this year was a secret mission that accompanied the French delegation during their Febrary 27, 2015 visit. The official reason for the visit was to arrange for the reopening of the French embassy which had been closed since 2012.

Syrian officials speaking anonymously say that the Damascus government believes the would be assassins are part of a Kurdish faction trained inside Jordan. The explosives used were from the Royal Jordanian Army.

Author Details Author Details Gordon Duff, Senior Editor Gordon Duff is a Marine combat veteran of the Vietnam War. He is a disabled veteran and has worked on veterans and POW issues for decades. Gordon is an accredited diplomat and is generally accepted as one of the top global intelligence specialists. He manages the world’s largest private intelligence organization and regularly consults with governments challenged by security issues. Duff has traveled extensively, is published around the world and is a regular guest on TV and radio in more than “several” countries. He is also a trained chef, wine enthusiast, avid motorcyclist and gunsmith specializing in historical weapons and restoration. Business experience and interests are in energy and defense technology. Gordon’s Latest Posts