- Muhammad Suleiman
-
Muhammad Suleiman
محمد سليمانPersonal details Born 1959 Died August 1, 2008
Tartus, SyriaNationality Syrian Occupation Security Adviser to the President Religion Islam Military service Rank General Muhammad Suleiman (Also Mohammad Sulayman) (Arabic: محمد سليمان) (b. 1959 – d. August 1, 2008) was a general and Special Presidential Advisor for Arms Procurement and Strategic Weapons[1] to Syrian president Bashar Al-Assad.[2] He may have been assassinated by a sniper in Syria while walking in the coastal town of Tartus, and the sniper may have escaped by boat.
Perpetrators
According to the As-Safir newspaper, arrested Mossad spy Ali Jarrah "testified to have scouted 'certain points' in the coastal town of Tartous in northern Syria," where Suleiman was assassinated.[3] The Sunday Times reported that Suleiman was assassinated by Israel.[4]
Some reporters [5][6] speculate that Suleiman was killed at closed range.
A cable released by Wikileaks revealed that France told the U.S. that Suleiman was probably killed as a result of rivalry within the Syrian regime. Maher al-Assad, brother of the Syrian president, was likely to have ordered the killing.[7] Furthermore, France said that Suleiman was not killed by a sniper, but in fact gunned down in his car.[7]
Aftermath
According to a U.S. State Department cable published by Wikileaks, Syrian authorities found $80 million in cash in the basement of Suleiman's home. This reportedly upset President Assad, who launched an investigation into how Suleiman obtained that much money.[8]
Sources
- ^ "US embassy cables: US sought financial pressure on top Syrian officials". The Guardian (London). December 20, 2010. http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/us-embassy-cables-documents/100578.
- ^ [1]
- ^ http://dailystar.com.lb/article.asp?edition_id=1&categ_id=2&article_id=97688
- ^ Mahnaimi, Uzi (February 22, 2009). "Defence chiefs urge hawk Netanyahu to strike deal with Syria". London: The Sunday Times. http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/news/world/middle_east/article5780477.ece. Retrieved February 22, 2009.
- ^ "The Mystery Behind a Syrian Murder". Time. August 7, 2008. http://www.time.com/time/world/article/0,8599,1830018,00.html.
- ^ http://www.joshualandis.com/blog/?p=826
- ^ a b WikiLeaks: France Said Syrian General Killed in Regime Feud
- ^ 09DAMASCUS274, CORRUPTION INVESTIGATION RATTLES BUSINESS COMMUNITY
Categories:- Assassinated military personnel
- Syrian military personnel
- Assassinated Syrian people
- 2008 deaths
- Deaths by firearm in Syria
- 1959 births
Wikimedia Foundation. 2010.