The United States and Israel are concerned that unrest in Syria could help terrorists get their hands on weapons of mass destruction (WMDs), the Wall Street Journal reports.
Syrian dictator Bashar Assad is believed to possess mustard gas, Sarin gas, other types of nerve gas, long-range missiles and more, security officials said.
Syria is also known to have been building a secret nuclear site as recently as 2007. Israel demolished the structure in an airstrike, but Syria may have received other nuclear equipment as well.
Officials in both countries are said to be “closely monitoring” the situation. U.S. officials quoted in the report noted that there is no evidence that Assad has transferred WMDs to Hamas or Hizbullah. The Syrian dictator is known to have supplied both terrorist groups with conventional weapons.
At the current time, Syria's weapons supplies remain secure despite unrest in the country, officials told the Journal. The main concern is that elements within the Syrian army could lose their loyalty to Assad and decide to sell the weapons, or turn them over to others.
On Thursday, Reuters reported that U.S. officials are using “national technical means” – a euphemism for spy networks and technology – to keep track of WMD stockpiles in Libya, including supplies of low-enriched uranium and mustard gas.