Saudi sends arms to Syrian rebels

Jordan’s government spokesman, Rakan al-Majali denied on Saturday media reports suggesting  that Jordan was allowing Saudi weapons to transit its territory to help the Free Syrian Army against the forces of the  Syrian regime.   The Jordan News Agency announced that al-Majali had given an interview to United Press International (UPI) claiming that such reports were baseless. Earlier this month, the Saudi government had hinted that it would not oppose arming the rebels, as Saudi Foreign Minister Saud al-Faisal gave a rare televised news conference in which he stated  in strong words that "Syrians had the right to take up arms against the central power in Damascus", according to The Associated Press. On Saturday Agence France Presse (AFP)  reported that “an Arab diplomat” had said Saudi weapons were on their way to the rebels via Jordan. "Saudi military equipment is on its way to Jordan to arm the rebel Free Syrian Army," the unnamed diplomat was quoted as saying on condition of anonymity. "This is a Saudi initiative to stop the massacres in Syria." According to AFP, the US has said it fears Iranian cargo flights passing through Iraqi airspace could be carrying arms shipments for the regime of Bashar al-Assad to continue fighting the rebels. But AFP reported Saturday that Iraq said it would not permit such flights.