Syria's Assad warns West over backing rebels

BEIRUT -- Syrian President Bashar Assad warned in a television interview yesterday that the war against his government risked spreading to neighboring Jordan and predicted that rebel fighters, whom he described as Islamic extremists, would take their violence to the West later.

Speaking on the pro-government channel Al-Ikhbariya, Assad presented himself as a staunch patriot who was fending off meddling by the West. He appeared to be wooing Syrians wearied by the country's bloodshed, disillusioned by all sides and desperate for the conflict to end.

Assad charged that the United States and Europe were supporting his Islamist opponents. He said the alleged support was cynical and would come back to haunt them. The United States and its European allies have given limited support to Syrian rebels but have been wary of providing aid, especially arms, that could fall into the hands of Islamist extremists.

"The West uses any element, even if it is against them elsewhere," Assad said. "They fight al-Qaida in Mali and they support it in Syria and in Libya, but the West doesn't know -- or perhaps it knows but is not now aware -- that this terrorism will return to it and they will pay the price later in Europe and the United States."

His warning was in line with previous public statements in which he described the armed opposition as terrorists and Islamic extremists.

Last week, the Nusra Front, an Islamic extremist group active in Syria, pledged its allegiance to al-Qaida. The United States branded Nusra a terrorist organization in December.

Assad, who the day before announced reduced sentences for 7,000 Syrian prisoners, also said he served at the will of the people and hinted he would step down if Syrian citizens demanded it.

He also repeated a warning to Jordan made by his government in recent weeks that it should not be supporting the opposition. Syria has alleged that Jordan is hosting training camps for rebels, with U.S. involvement.