Fadi Saqr, a senior commander of the former regime's militias, denied responsibility for the Al-Tadamon massacre, details of which were revealed by The Guardian.
He said in a statement to the New York Times that his appointment to the position came after the massacre occurred, stressing that he had not received any official pardon and that the state had been "clear" with him. He added, "If the Interior Ministry had any evidence against me, I would not be working with it today."
Saqr indicated his willingness to appear before the judiciary, provided that the proceedings were conducted "properly," without clarifying what was meant by "properly."
In another context, the newspaper quoted Saqr as saying that "his background, not only as an Alawite but also as a regime militia commander, gave him the credibility to persuade supporters of the former regime not to distance themselves from the new Syrian government."
Response to Fadi Saqr's statements: Who is testing whom?
Fadi Saqr's talk about his "test as an indicator of coexistence" is a blatant attempt to whitewash a personal image implicated, politically and on the ground, in a bloody process that did not begin in the "Tadamon" neighborhood and will not end with a denial of responsibility.
Saqr, who led the "National Defense" militia in various areas of Damascus and its countryside, was not an ordinary member, but rather a direct player in the sectarian killing machine employed by the regime. When discussing "Tadamon," it must be remembered that it was not the only massacre, but rather the one filmed. There were massacres before it, and hundreds more followed.
Saqr's is not a test of coexistence, but rather a test of the seriousness of the new state: either prosecute those involved, or be convicted of providing them cover.
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