Senior Syrian official in US and co-operating with intelligence agencies

[alp227]

Source: the guardian

The Syrian government's former spokesman, Jihad Makdissi, is co-operating with US intelligence officials who helped him flee to Washington almost one month ago, the Guardian understands.

Makdissi became one of the most prominent regime defectors in late November when he left Beirut after first crossing from Syria. The Guardian reported at the time that he had fled for the US, possibly in return for asylum. This has now been confirmed.

The latest development comes after almost a month of debriefings, which have helped intelligence officials build a picture of decision-making in the inner sanctum of the embattled regime.

Syrian officials have denied that Makdissi has defected, saying he had instead taken three months of administrative leave. However, at the time of his departure, Hezbollah's television network in Beirut – not known to be out of step with the regime line – announced that the spokesman's views had strayed from official positions and that he had been fired.

Read more: http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2012/dec/24/syrian-official-us-intelligence-agencies

[Posteritatis]

1. A gov't spokesperson taking "three months of administrative leave" during an ongoing civil war?

That's, like, Comical Ali levels of plausibility.