Jordan captures arms smugglers from Syria

Jordan announced that it has arrested smugglers trying to sneak in a large cache of arms from neighboring Syria. A spokesman of the Jordanian army said the country's border guards arrested late Thursday several smugglers including Jordanians and other Arab nationalities, Al-Alam reported. The official, who spoke on condition of anonymity in line with army regulations, said the arms included mainly machine guns. He said that an investigation had begun into the case, refusing further information about the operation. There have been many media reports in recent months about anti-Syria militants being trained in Jordan for taking part in the crisis in Syria. CIA operatives have reportedly been training gangs of militants, equipping them with arms, and sending them to Syria. The Syrian army had warned before that Jordan opened its borders to foreign terrorists and allowed weapons bought by Saudi Arabia in Croatia to be smuggled into Syria. Jordan has been concerned that al-Qaeda-linked militants in Syria may return and seek safe haven in its soil. Amman is also concerned that the militants may try to smuggle in weapons to use in attacks to destabilize the kingdom.