Syria Says Al Jazeera's Nusra Interview Promotes Militant Group
TEHRAN (Tasnim) - A Syrian envoy said Al Jazeera's interview with the leader of Nusra Front violated UN counterterrorism resolutions and was an attempt by Qatar to whitewash the image of the al Qaeda affiliate, Syria's state news agency reported on Thursday.
The Qatari-funded network broadcast the first part of an interview with Nusra leader Mohamad al-Golani late on Wednesday. He said the group's focus was to capture the Syrian capital Damascus and topple President Bashar al-Assad, and not aim for Western targets.
Syria's United Nations ambassador, Bashar al-Jaafari, said the interview was used "to promote terrorism and make threats to the government and people in Syria," SANA agency said, quoting remarks made before the UN Security Council in New York.
"It is clear that the Qatari regime is seeking with this interview, with the head of a terrorist group as listed by the UN Security Council, to clean up the image of Nusra Front," he added.
Al Jazeera had no immediate comment.
Nusra Front is listed as a terrorist organisation by the United States and has been sanctioned by the UN Security Council, Reuters reported.
In his interview Golani said members of the Alawite minority sect, of which Assad is a member, should renounce the Syrian leader, their beliefs and lay down weapons in order to be safe.
It was not clear where and when the interview was filmed. Golani's face was not shown and a black flag used by Nusra Front was placed on a table between him and the interviewer.
In his remarks, Jaafari criticised journalists "who infiltrate Syria illegally by crossing borders" with neighboring countries.