15 September 2004

BERLIN - German intelligence sources said Wednesday they had no information which could confirm a report claiming Syria had tested chemical weapons in cooperation with the government of Sudan on black Africans in Sudan's troubled Darfur region.

Germany's Die Welt newspaper - citing "Western intelligence reports" - said dozens of people were killed in the tests carried out from last May.

Frozen corpses were brought to a Khartoum hospital after the tests and examined by Syrian doctors, said the report.

The report did not identify what type of chemicals were allegedly used in Darfur but said five airplanes from Syrian Arab Airlines flew in the chemical weapons and specialists from Damascus.

"We find the details very surprising and would have evaluated them differently," said a German intelligence source speaking on the condition of anonymity.

Asked to comment on the report a spokesman for Syria's embassy in Berlin said: "We have nothing to say on this - the newspaper can write whatever it wants." He refused any further comment.

The U.S. embassy in Berlin also declined to comment on the story, saying there would probably be a response in Washington later Wednesday.

DPA

Subject: German news