Anti-Assad moves under spotlight

The United States said yesterday that it supported Syrian opposition groups, but denied it was engaged in a covert bid to undermine the Government.

Time magazine said a classified document showed the Bush Administration was mulling an effort to fund opposition to President Bashar Assad.

Time said some critics charge such an initiative would amount to a covert action to influence a foreign government, and so leave the White House legally bound to inform Congress.

State Department spokesman Sean McCormack said the US supported Syrian democratic groups in Syria. "Any activities ... are overt."

Time said the US was "supporting regular meetings of international and diaspora Syrian activists".

- AFP