Syria’s Involvement in Release of Estonians Remains a Mystery
Mystery shrouded the release of the kidnapped Estonians after high-ranking sources hinted of Syria’s involvement in setting free the seven cyclists as a good gesture to the European Union.
A high-ranking security source did not rule out that Syria helped release the hostages on Thursday after it was embarrassed by attacks by pro-regime supporters on the French and U.S. embassies in Damascus earlier in the week.
The attacks left three staff injured in the French embassy, while at the U.S. embassy about 300 demonstrators scaled the complex's high outer wall before being chased away by U.S. marines.
The source told al-Liwaa newspaper published Friday that Syria most probably exerted efforts to release the seven tourists out of its keenness to bring a happy ending to their cause and send a friendly message to the EU and mainly France.
A high-ranking diplomatic source also told An Nahar daily that the release of the Estonians is linked to the attacks on the French and U.S. embassies.
Evidence shows that Damascus had played an essential role in the case of the cyclists, the source said.
Official sources also went all the way to linking the release with the visits that the French and U.S. ambassadors made to the flashpoint protest city of Hama last week.
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