Document #1007575
IRB – Immigration and Refugee Board of Canada (Author)
A specialist in Lebanese affairs in Ottawa
stated that Syria's control over Lebanon has allowed it to
establish a strong intelligence network, including a Lebanon branch
of the Mukhabarat (Syrian Security Service) (29 July 1993). The
source added that intelligence service or spying is also a
political factor (Ibid.). For example, when the leaders of
the various political factions and militias (either government or
non-government) travel to Damascus to meet with Syrian officials,
information is exchanged on a regular basis (Ibid.). The
source reported that Syria's stake in Lebanon is so important that
its military intelligence service must rely on a network of
informants that crosses all of the political factions, militias and
sectarian groups (Ibid.). The source stated that Syria has
enough power in Lebanon to force people to work for them, whether
for intelligence-gathering or other purposes, although they are
slowly trying to channel their influence through the Lebanese
authorities (Ibid.). The source mentioned that "volunteer"
intelligence informants can have several allegiances at the same
time, possibly working for both Syria and Egypt for example
(Ibid.). Syria is not the only country to run military
intelligence operation in Lebanon, Israel, Iraq, Iran, Egypt and
the United States are other examples (Ibid.).
According to a September 1990 Middle East
Watch report, the Syrian Military intelligence is a large and
important agency whose extensive network has been responsible for
many arrests and abductions in Lebanon (63). For information on the
Syrian Security Service, please refer to the attached Middle East
Watch report.
Additional and/or corroborating information
on this subject is currently unavailable to the DIRB in Ottawa.
Middle East Watch. 1990. Human
Rights in Syria. New York: Human Rights Watch Publications.
Specialist of Lebanese Affairs, Ottawa.
29 July 1993. Telephone Interview with Representative.
Middle East Watch. 1990. Human Rights
in Syria. New York: Human Rights Watch Publications.