The Nusra Front has criticized Reuters news agency for publishing claims on the group’s intention to split from Al-Qaeda, with the Front requesting Reuters to act with professionalism and credibility. The Front also denied the agency’s reports of Nusra leaders meeting Qatari or other intelligence agencies.
In a statement issued by Nusra on Sunday, the Front claimed it "was surprised by the amount of lies and fabrications the news contained, which is false and full of contradictions".
The statement added that the news editors referred to "sources" without naming them, which is unsurprising since the news was edited in Lebanon and Doha, away from Syria and the field correspondents. The group stated that “Reuters didn’t bother to inquire whether the news it reported came from well-known Nusra sources on the ground, who are known by all news reporters".
The statement also requested Reuters to "show professionalism and check the accuracy and credibility of the news it reports, to apologize for what the report contains, and to gather news from its well-known sources, away from the cellars and corridors of intelligence agencies".
"We completely deny all reports regarding a meeting with the Qatari intelligence or any other intelligence agencies, or the search for funding from Qatar or any other Gulf country. These actions contradict with the grounds on which the Front was founded. The Nusra Front was, and is still, the spearhead of the jihadists in the Levant. It is pioneer in the fight, eager to unite the jihadist forces on clear Sharia basis. The Front seeks Sharia, lifting the injustice and upholding the vulnerable, while defending them with all its strength", the statement concluded.
Translated and edited by The Syrian Observer
