[A-List] US imperialism: Syria

["Michael Keaney" <michael.keaney@xxxxxx>]

Syria denies US spy ring

Julian Borger in Washington
Thursday September 25, 2003
The Guardian

American officials suggested yesterday that the arrest of two servicemen on
suspicion of espionage at the Guantanamo Bay prison camp could be part of
one of the most damaging spy rings uncovered in the US military since the
cold war.

Captain James Yousef Yee, an army chaplain, and senior airman Ahmad
al-Halabi, an air force translator, were both allegedly caught in possession
of classified information about the camp's detainees, infrastructure and
operations.

Capt Yee was born a Chinese Christian but converted to Islam in 1991 and
studied in Syria before rejoining the army. Mr al-Halabi is Syrian-born, and
allegedly had contact with Syrian officials.

However, the Syrian information minister, Ahmad al-Hassan, called the
reports of a Damascus-backed spy ring "baseless and illogical", saying that
personnel at Guantanamo would have been carefully screened.
US officials said at least three other military personnel were being
questioned.