Dear —–
I heard in the news today that 1000 members of the Syrian civil defence organisation known as the White Helmets are to be taken out of Syria and relocated to Canada and countries in Europe, including the UK, in order to protect them from reprisals now that the Syrian Army have retaken most of Syria.
On the face of it, this seems very strange. Why should civilian volunteers face reprisals? A recent example of their work helps to explain the anomaly. You may remember that recently there were claims that the Syrian Army had launched a nerve gas attack on Ghouta, near Damascus. The source of these claims was the white Helmets, and they backed up their accusations with video footage of chaotic scenes in which they soused alleged victims with water. It was alleged that there were dozens of casualties. However, this story was a complete fabrication. Journalists such as Robert Fisk, who visited the scene soon afterwards reported that there were no signs of an attack, and that people who he spoke to seemed puzzled about his questions and new nothing about it. Other respected journalists reported the same thing. The OPCW inspectors who were invited by the Syrian Government could find no trace of any nerve agent, and found no evidence that any Syrian facility had been used for chemical weapons. They also reported that chlorine could not have produced the alleged symptoms.
Eventually, people who were pictured in the White Helmets video were traced. 15 of them testified to the OPCW that they had been attending the hospital for various ailments when the White Helmets rushed in, screamed “Gas Attack!”, threw water everywhere and started a panic, which they captured on camera. This was a propaganda exercise, to try to manipulate Western countries into attacking the Syrian Army, who were on the point of retaking Ghouta.
You see, the white helmets are not a civilian defence organisation. They claim on their website to be a neutral organisation of ordinary unarmed civilian volunteers rushing to rescue civilians, but this is a pack of lies. In fact the White Helmets was formed in Turkey by a British military officer to assist in our policy of overthrowing the Syrian government. They have so far received 80 millions dollars from the UK and over 200 million form the US, as well as funds from Turkey, Saudi and Israel, and are consequently some of the best paid people in Syria. Far from being neutral they have very loudly and frequently called for Damascus to be bombed by the US and UK – rather odd for a neutral civil defence group rescuing people from bombing don’t you think? On their website they are currently advertising for well paid positions as media directors and agents, based in Turkey. Far from being unarmed, they have provided ample footage of themselves brandishing Kalashnikovs.
However, there are much more serious allegations. Several independent videos have shown senior members smiling an laughing with members of ISIS and Al Quaeda, and they have been filmed assisting at the execution of civilians by these groups. In Aleppo, their headquarters was in the same building as ISIS, and many murals show their logo alongside those of terrorist organisations. The actual Syrian defence organisation in Aleppo which has existed since the 50’s testified that the White Helmets broke into their compound, shot their staff and stole their equipment. It seems that the British handlers were fooled, and have actually been funding the very terrorist organisations we were supposed to be fighting.
One might expect that this being the case the White Helmets could expect reprisals from the Syrian Army. But in fact, Russia and Syria have shown extraordinary vision and rationality. In order to restore Syria to the peaceful, multicultural society it once was, they have offered all combatants the choice of amnesty and a return to civilian life, or relocation to Idlib Province, which is occupied by various opposition forces. Many thousands of combatants have taken thee opportunities, and Syria and Russia have kept good faith in order to encourage more surrenders. So the White Helmets do not face a threat from the government. Instead they are afraid of the civilian population who they terrorised, and who will kill them if they have a chance. They are in desperate need of protection from the people they attacked and murdered, and who are thirsty for revenge.
Are these people that we want living alongside genuine Syrian refugees in the UK?