Russia Predicts US Will Use Fake Chemical Attack In Syria as Pretext for Missile Attacks

[Mick West]

A series of stories from Russia Today (RT) seem to be leading up to something, one version of the story a day, for four days:

https://www.rt.com/op-ed/436783-us-syria-chemical-attack-bolton/ (http://archive.is/xUQTk)

Bolton calls on Al-Qaeda to stage more chemical attacks in Syria
Published time: 24 Aug, 2018 17:17

In a move that was entirely predictable, the US administration is once again threatening to bomb Syria if there is a "chemical weapons attack".
This was entirely predictable because that chemical attack script has been read out, with salty crocodile tears, fake concern, and mocked indignation by US talking heads over the years - since 2012, in fact, when former US President Obama himself drew his red line on Syria.

The latest script-reader to toe the chemical hoax line is President Trump's national security adviser, John Bolton, who on August 22, stated^: "...if the Syrian regime uses chemical weapons we will respond very strongly and they really ought to think about this a long time."

Beyond the tattered veil of moral superiority that is US war propaganda, Bolton's words were clearly a very public command to Al-Qaeda^ and co-extremists to stage yet another fake chemical attack.

https://www.rt.com/news/436812-syria-chemical-weapons-provocation/ (http://archive.is/l8QHl)

Terrorists readying chemical attack to frame Damascus & provide pretext for US strikes – Russian MoD
Published time: 25 Aug, 2018 06:24

The US and its allies are preparing new airstrikes on Syria, the Russian Defense Ministry said, adding that militants are poised to stage a chemical weapons attack in order to frame Damascus and provide a pretext for the strikes.

The attack would be used as a pretext for US, UK and French airstrikes on Syrian targets, Russian Defense Ministry spokesman, Major General Igor Konashenkov said. USS 'The Sullivans,' an Arleigh Burke-class Aegis guided missile destroyer, was already deployed to the Persian Gulf a couple of days ago, he added.

The destroyer has 56 cruise missiles on board, according to data from the Russian Defence Ministry. A US Rockwell B-1 Lancer, a supersonic bomber equipped with 24 cruise missiles, has also been deployed at the Qatari Al Udeid Airbase.

The provocations are being prepared by militants from Al-Nusra Front (now known as Tahrir al-Sham) in Idlib province, northwestern Syria,

In order to stage the attack, some eight canisters of chlorine were delivered in to village near Jisr al-Shughur city for the terrorists' use, he added. A separate group of militants, prepped by private British security company Olive, have also arrived in the area. The group will be disguised as volunteers from the White Helmets group and will simulate a rescue operation involving locals purportedly injured in the attack, according to the military official.

According to the Defense Ministry spokesman, recent statements by US National Security Advisor John Bolton – in which he threatened to bomb Syria – could be interpreted as an implicit confirmation of such airstrikes. On August 22, Bolton stated that "... if the Syrian regime uses chemical weapons, we will respond very strongly and they really ought to think about this a long time."

https://www.rt.com/news/436876-idlib-fake-chemical-attack/ (http://archive.is/MQBAu)

'Foreign specialists' may stage chemical attack in Syria in 2 days to frame Assad – Russian MoD
Published time: 26 Aug, 2018 09:33

"Foreign specialists" have arrived in Syria and may stage a chemical attack using chlorine in "the next two days," the Russian Defense Ministry said. This will be filmed for international media to frame Damascus forces.
Defense Ministry Spokesman Major General Igor Konashenkov said the operation is planned to unfold in the village of Kafr Zita in Syria's northwestern Hama Province in "the next two days."

Konashenkov said that "English-speaking specialists" are already in place to use "poisonous agents." While a group of residents from the north has been transported to Kafr Zita and is currently being prepared "to take part in the staging of the attack" and be filmed suffering from supposed "'chemical munitions' and 'barrel bombs' launched by the Syrian government forces."

https://www.rt.com/news/436933-us-fake-attack-syria/ (http://archive.is/nbvH2)

US plans to use fake chemical weapons attack to strike Syria – Russian MoD
Published time: 27 Aug, 2018 12:11

The US may have plans to use a fake chemical attack in Syria to hit government forces with airstrikes, the Russian Defense Ministry has said. Washington is already building up strike capability in the Middle East, it said.

The warning comes a day after the Russian military said it had information about a looming provocation in Syria's Idlib governorate, which would involve a staged chemical weapons attack. The US earlier warned it would respond to a chemical weapons attack by Syrian government forces with retaliatory strikes, which would be stronger than those conducted by the US, the UK and France in April.

In a statement published on Monday, the Russian MoD said it noted the deployment to the Mediterranean last weekend of the missile destroyer USS Ross carrying 28 Tomahawk cruise missiles on board. It came after a similar move of the USS The Sullivans to the Persian Gulf and the rebasing of a B-1B Lancer strategic bomber to an air base in Qatar. The Russian ministry said the "preparations are the latest evidence of the US intention to use the" expected provocation.

It's a remarkably specific prediction:

In order to stage the attack, some eight canisters of chlorine were delivered in to village near Jisr al-Shughur city for the terrorists' use, he added. A separate group of militants, prepped by private British security company Olive, have also arrived in the area. The group will be disguised as volunteers from the White Helmets group and will simulate a rescue operation involving locals purportedly injured in the attack, according to the military official.

 

[Paul Edward]

RT have been running "stories" against the White Helmets for some time now.

 

[Mick West]

Hmm, a search of RT for "Chemical" reveals the follow up stories:

https://www.rt.com/news/437090-russian-ships-syria-nato/ (http://archive.is/y2Mm5)

Russia bolsters navy presence in Mediterranean off Syria
Published time: 28 Aug, 2018 20:41

Russia has dispatched the largest number of naval vessels into Syrian waters since the beginning of its intervention there, amid speculation that the US might be preparing another 'chemical attack' false flag and a missile strike.

https://www.rt.com/news/437091-militants-syria-chemical-weapons-provocation/ (http://archive.is/2UlPj)

White Helmets accompany large delivery of poisonous chemicals to militants in Syria – MoD
Published time: 28 Aug, 2018 20:50

A large supply of chemicals has been delivered to the militants in Syria's Idlib with the assistance of the White Helmets aid group in order to stage a provocation and blame the Syrian government, Russia's Defense Ministry said.
The Russian military has received information from several sources in Idlib Province that "a large supply of poisonous agents has been brought to the city of Saraqib on two trucks from the village of Afs," Major-General Aleksey Tsygankov, head of the Russian Center for Reconciliation of the opposing sides in Syria, said in a statement.

The chemicals were delivered to an arms depot, used by the militant group Ahrar al-Sham, "accompanied by the eight members of the White Helmets organization," Tsygankov said, adding that the cargo was met by two high-ranked Ahrar al-Sham commanders.

https://www.rt.com/news/437092-us-syria-resources-control-russia/ (http://archive.is/Fmlrl)

US chose 'neocolonial course' in Syria to gain control over its resources – Russian envoy to UN
Published time: 28 Aug, 2018 21:08

Last week, US National Security Adviser John Bolton also stated that "if the Syrian regime uses chemical weapons, we will respond very strongly and they really ought to think about this a long time." On Monday, however, the Russian Defense Ministry warned that US-sponsored opposition forces may be preparing to stage a fake chemical attack to lure the US into retaliatory strikes against the Syrian government.

https://www.rt.com/news/437136-idlib-provocation-lavrov-nusra/ (http://archive.is/uC0f3)

Planned chemical weapon provocation in Idlib aimed to prevent removal of terrorists – Lavrov
Published time: 29 Aug, 2018 12:40 Edited time: 30 Aug, 2018 09:37


The planned chemical weapon provocation in the Syrian province of Idlib is aimed at maintaining the presence of terrorists in the area, Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov said.
The Russian FM, who met his Saudi counterpart, Adel al-Jubeir in Moscow on Wednesday, compared the terrorist presence in the province with an "abscess" that should be swiftly removed.

https://www.rt.com/news/437200-syria-idlib-us-chemical/ (http://archive.is/kWj5s)

Idlib to become Syria's final battle with terrorists… if the West stays out of it
Published time: 30 Aug, 2018 03:14Edited time: 30 Aug, 2018 09:45

Syrian forces are gearing up to take the last terrorist stronghold, the US is boosting its military presence, and Russia is warning of a false-flag chemical attack. RT looks at the aligning of forces ahead of the battle for Idlib.

American warships, cruise missile delivery systems, strategic bombers and other hardware has arrived to the Mediterranean and the Persian Gulf earlier this week. Washington is denying that any buildup is taking place, but Moscow says the assets are being gathered for a massive strike against the Syrian government.

A provocation with chemical weapons, staged by the jihadists, will be used as a pretext for the attack, and Damascus will again be groundlessly accused of poisoning its own people, Russia said. In April, a massive bombardment of Syria by the US, UK and France was triggered by what Russia says was a similarly staged false-flag operation.

https://www.rt.com/news/437201-idlib-syria-chemical-provocation-meeting/ (http://archive.is/LCjvv)

Russia gives US intel on planned chemical weapons provocation in Syria
Published time: 30 Aug, 2018 03:24Edited time: 30 Aug, 2018 09:45

Moscow has briefed US diplomats on a plan by militants to stage a false flag chemical weapons attack in Syria's Idlib province meant to frame Damascus, the Russian ambassador in the US has said.
Anatoly Antonov, the Russian ambassador in Washington, confirmed to the media on Wednesday that he had met with the US special representative to Syria, James Jeffrey, and David M. Satterfield, acting assistant secretary of state for near eastern affairs.

The attendees of the rare meeting and the fact that it had taken place earlier this week was revealed by US State Department spokesperson Heather Nauert during a daily briefing.

The meeting was called by Russia on Friday and held on Monday, August 27, Antonov said. He commended the US side for coming at such short notice, and described the meeting as "constructive and professional."

At the meeting, Russia officially conveyed its concerns over reports that Washington together with France and the UK is gearing up for another set of airstrikes in Syria under the pretext of a chemical attack, that would immediately be blamed on the Syrian government. Moscow has asked Washington to "provide the facts without delay" to substantiate the new allegations that Damascus uses chemical weapons against its own people.

Such rhetoric fanned by Washington may prompt militants and their "pseudo-humanitarian" organizations like the White Helmets to mount another provocation using chemical agents, Antonov warned.

https://www.rt.com/news/437212-us-allies-strike-syria/ (http://archive.is/ASYkd)

US & allies can have missiles ready to strike Syria within 24 hours – Russian Foreign Ministry
Published time: 30 Aug, 2018 08:20Edited time: 31 Aug, 2018 09:25

...
Earlier, the Pentagon denied Moscow's claim that Washington was building up military forces in the region. One of the US warships, USS 'The Sullivans,' left the Persian Gulf after media reports about an increased American military presence in the area, according to Zakharova.

While rejecting news of its growing presence in the region, the "US military forgot to mention that they can build up missile capabilities to strike Syria in just 24 hours. The strike group of the United States, France and the UK currently consists of planes, strategic and tactical aircraft at bases in Jordan, Kuwait, Crete," Zakharova said.

Moscow has repeatedly warned^ that a false flag chemical weapons attack is being planned in Syria's Idlib province to frame Damascus and use as a pretext for a new strike. Eight canisters of chlorine were delivered to a village near Jisr al-Shughur city, and a group of militants, trained in the handling of chemical weapons by the British private military contractor Olive Group, arrived in the area, according to Defense Ministry.

https://www.rt.com/newsline/437229-terrorists-syria-idlib-mistura/ (http://archive.is/p9C8V)

Over 10,000 terrorists gathered in Syria's Idlib province – UN envoy
Published time: 30 Aug, 2018 10:52Edited time: 30 Aug, 2018 11:18

There is a high concentration of foreign fighters in Syria's Idlib province, including an estimated 10,000 terrorists, UN Syria envoy Staffan de Mistura told reporters on Thursday. The diplomat said it would be better to set up humanitarian corridors to evacuate civilians than rush into a battle. The envoy called on Russia, Iran and Turkey to forestall a battle in Idlib which would affect millions of civilians and "could see both sides using chlorine as a chemical weapon," Reuters reported. Russian Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova said on Thursday that terrorists have reportedly brought containers with chlorine to the town of Jisr al-Shughur for the staging of a chemical attack, which is sure to be blamed on Syrian government troops, TASS reports. "According to the information available, eight containers with chlorine and ammunition for a multiple launch rocket system to be filled with this chlorine were delivered on August 23 and 24 in the area of the Idlib de-escalation zone," she said.

https://www.rt.com/newsline/437253-syria-chemical-weapons-moallem/ (http://archive.is/E3CmZ)

Syria has no chemical weapons, says FM Muallem
Published time: 30 Aug, 2018 12:29Edited time: 30 Aug, 2018 14:13

Damascus is reaching the last step in putting an end to country's crisis and liberating the entire territory from terrorism, Syria's Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign & Expatriates Minister Walid Muallem said on Thursday. He made the statement in Moscow at the beginning of a meeting with the Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov. "I confirm that we do not have chemical weapons," SANA quoted Moallem as saying. "It is not possible for us to use them because we are victorious in the battles against terrorism and there is no need to use them," he added.

https://www.rt.com/news/437256-lavrov-warning-syria-west/ (http://archive.is/gsWYk)

Russia warns US not to 'play with fire' in Syria – Lavrov
Published time: 30 Aug, 2018 14:15Edited time: 31 Aug, 2018 09:30

Russia's foreign minister is the latest official to warn the US against using a possible chemical weapons provocation to justify a new strike against Syrian forces. He said Moscow warned the West not to play with fire in Syria.
Sergey Lavrov reiterated the warning that a staged chemical weapons attack in Syria's Idlib province may trigger a US-led attack on the forces loyal to Damascus.

"A new provocation is being prepared by the West to hamper the anti-terrorist operation in Idlib," Lavrov said during a joint media conference with his Syrian counterpart, Walid Muallem. "We have facts on the table and have issued a strong warning to our Western partners through our Defense Ministry and our Foreign Ministry not to play with fire."

Earlier, the Russian military reported^ that a group of militants in Syria was preparing a provocation, in which chlorine gas would be used to frame the Syrian government forces. The incident would be used by the US and its allies to justify a new attack against the country, similar to what happened in April, according to the claim.

Amid international tensions, Russia has launched a massive naval exercise in the Mediterranean Sea, which involves 25 ships and 30 aircraft, including Tu-160 strategic bombers.

The US earlier stated that it would retaliate to a possible a chemical attack by the Syrian government, using more firepower than it did in April. The previous tripartite strike by the US, the UK and France targeted what they called sites involved in chemical weapons research. It came in response to an alleged use of an improvised chlorine bomb against a militant-held area. Russia insists that the incident had been staged with the goal of triggering the Western response.

https://www.rt.com/news/437287-russian-warship-mediterranean-drill/ (http://archive.is/4GWMl)

Kremlin points to 'terrorists in Idlib' when asked about massive naval drill near Syria's shores
Published time: 30 Aug, 2018 17:58Edited time: 31 Aug, 2018 09:34

On Saturday, the Russian military will start a week-long exercise in the Mediterranean, involving 25 ships and strategic bombers. The Kremlin agreed the drill may be connected with the situation in Syria's Idlib governorate.
The exercise comes amid high tension in the region, with Moscow claiming^ that the US is deploying additional military assets towards Syria for a likely missile attack against Syrian government forces. The strike would be conducted under a pretext of a staged chemical weapons attack, the Russian military alleged.

https://www.rt.com/newsline/437344-syria-terrorists-idlib-humanitarian/ (http://archive.is/hvBY1)

Syria has right to chase terrorists out of Idlib, talks on humanitarian corridors continue – Lavrov
Published time: 31 Aug, 2018 13:19Edited time: 31 Aug, 2018 13:51

Syria has every right to chase terrorists out of the rebel-held Syrian enclave of Idlib, Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov said Friday. Talks are ongoing to set up humanitarian corridors in the area, he added. "In this de-escalation zone, there must be a separation of the armed opposition, ready for dialogue with the government, from terrorists of Jabhat al-Nusra and other organizations recognized as terrorist by the UN Security Council," Lavrov said. "Terrorists oppose such separation," Sputnik quoted the Russian top diplomat as saying. Russia is also calling on the international community to realize its responsibility to prevent regular provocations with chemical weapons in Syria, Lavrov said.

https://www.rt.com/news/437364-russia-syria-chemical-weapon-opcw/ (http://archive.is/5JBM2)

Russia submitted proof of false-flag chemical-weapons plot to OPCW & UN – Lavrov
Published time: 31 Aug, 2018 16:37Edited time: 31 Aug, 2018 16:41

There is "no doubt" that militants are plotting a false-flag chemical-weapons attack in Syria's Idlib province, Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov said, adding that Moscow has provided proof of the plot to the UN and OPCW.
"We have presented concrete facts obtained from various sources both to the UN and to The Hague, where the OPCW (Organization for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons) headquarters is located," Lavrov said, while speaking about the risk of a false-flag attack involving the use of chemical weapons in Syria, adding that "these facts are congruent."

Lavrov said that "there is no doubt that such provocations are being prepared." He explained that terrorist groups entrenched in Syria's northwestern province, including Al-Nusra Front (now known as Tahrir al-Sham), are trying to derail the separation of terrorists from other armed groups "in every possible way."

The foreign minister also said that Russia would continue to support Damascus in its fight against terrorists and is open about its actions. "We have no plans to conceal what we do to back the Syrian government, which is liberating its land from terrorists to [allow] the Syrian citizens to return to… normal life as soon as possible," Lavrov told journalists during a joint press conference with Eritrean Foreign Minister Osman Saleh Mohammed in Sochi.

Earlier, Russia's representative to the OPCW, Aleksandr Shulgin, told journalists that Moscow had handed evidence of the planned false-flag attack to the OPCW Director General Fernando Arias. The Syrian government also sent its own data to the OPCW, he added, while warning that the attack could be staged "at any moment."

Moscow has previously accused Washington of helping militants with a false-flag plot with a view to blaming the Syrian authorities for the attack and thus justify new airstrikes against Syria. The planned airstrike is allegedly a lot larger in scale than the one carried out by the US, the UK and France in April.

Russia's Defense Ministry has said that the chemicals needed for the fake attack have been already delivered to the area, citing sources on the ground. It accused the White Helmets group of assisting the terrorists with the delivery.

Quite a barrage! These later stories clarify that Russia claims that the US will USE a fake attack, not directly create one, except by indirect encouragement. (I'll edit the headline to reflect this)

 

[TEEJ]

In a statement published on Monday, the Russian MoD said it noted the deployment to the Mediterranean last weekend of the missile destroyer USS Ross carrying 28 Tomahawk cruise missiles on board. It came after a similar move of the USS The Sullivans to the Persian Gulf and the rebasing of a B-1B Lancer strategic bomber to an air base in Qatar. The Russian ministry said the "preparations are the latest evidence of the US intention to use the" expected provocation.

In the case of the B-1B Lancer it is strange how the Russian MoD is not informing Russia Today that it was just one B-1B replacing another?

One B-1B call sign MYTEE13 last week flew from US to Qatar. The B-1B that it was replacing call sign MYTEE12 diverted into RAF Mildenhall, UK as it returned from Qatar.

Both B-1Bs fully tracked by aviation enthusiasts using High Frequency communications.

The returning B-1B landing at RAF Mildenhall, Suffolk UK due to a technical problem.

Image at following link.


Source: https://twitter.com/lucachadwick20/status/1033361507327852547


The B-1Bs rotating to and from Qatar is a perfectly routine event.

 

[Mick West]

https://www.rt.com/newsline/437379-us-envoy-syria-chemical-attack/ (http://archive.is/X8poM)

US Syria rep. to visit Turkey, Jordan, Israel & address Moscow's tip on false-flag chemical attack
Published time: 31 Aug, 2018 22:56Edited time: 1 Sep, 2018 06:25

Newly appointed US Special Representative for Syria Engagement, James Jeffrey, together with US Special Envoy for Syria, Joel Rayburn, will tour Israel, Jordan and Turkey on September 1-4, the State Department has announced^. During their trip, the US diplomats will reassure Israel of America's support and "underscore that the United States will respond to any chemical weapons attack perpetrated by the Syrian regime." The US officials will also touch upon Russia's repeated warnings of a potential false-flag chemical attack to be staged by rebels in Syria's Idlib, which the US State Department labeled "specious allegations."

The comments on that page make interesting reading.

Our American cousins have gone mad, bad and dangerous to know.

The guilty ones are the first to deny.
God bless the Jews who did 9/11.

Too bad false flags are hard to sell now a days!
The bible made us weaker, Internet compensated just that. Now we are getting stonger and less fragile.

Indeed . . 911 was the most heinous false flag attack in history, long planned by the neo nazi deep state. It provided the pretext for attacking a number of Islamic states, and also covered up massive fraud in the US

Plan B in the chem terror soup plot, he is there to get consensus and possibly ask for assistance to re stage their intended false flag.

They are desperate to save face and could likely stage a decoy chemical attack and initiate the scripted one elsewhere.

They realise the Spetnaz have them in their cross hairs, and it takes just one missile to wipe out the ""private"" British, ""white helmet"" terror group.

They are in Syria illegally under false pretences to commit terror on the civilian population, they are terror initiators in Syria, therefore legitimate targets.

Watch their plane stay just a little bit longer than it needs to - unloading the chems lol

US State Department labeled "specious allegations."

US Iraq's WMD allegations were specious allegations not Russia's allegations.

This is becoming a cheap Hollywood horror show.

We all know that the date and time, the place, the type of chemical agent, its delivery boys, the photographers and the rescuers have all been decided.

This is Alex June's moment to show what a fake attack looks like.

United States will respond to any chemical weapons attack perpetrated by the Syrian "regime" -> perpetrated by ISIS is fine!

Yeah, even "bombing ISIS" turned out to be providing air cover for them.

the US diplomats will reassure Israel of its support and "underscore that the United States will respond to any chemical weapons attack perpetrated by the Syrian regime

So the Yanks will use a false flag chemical attack in Israel then blame Syria for it
then the US and Israel can attack Syria
fulfilling the promise to kill Assad and Syria
Prepare for a WW3. All indicates that the descendants of the Hittite, ('zion' and Angelsax), a murderous collonizing clan since 2000 B.C. is preparing for a total destruction of all other populations.

Senator John McCain will be so upset he missed this...piece of garbage please rot slowly...

If Mr James Jeffrey contacted his buddies in the CIA and State Dept he would see that these allegations are not specious but common practice among and with the American/French/British axis of evil. The ostrich does protest to much.

Either covering their backsides or stirring up more trouble..

More and more it is becoming clear that the destruction of Israel is the only solution to peace in the Middle East.

Damage limitation exercise by the Washington death bringers. All the king's horses and all the kings men couldn't put the Washington propaganda machine back together again.

The US officials will also touch upon Russia's repeated warnings of a potential false-flag chemical attack to be staged by rebels in Syria's Idlib.

Wanting to know who leaked the information to Russia, no doubt.

that would make this what, the 4th false flag chemical attack in Syria they will be blaming on President Assad??? Sheesh! These NWO monkeys and their cronies should learn some new tricks ... If I were President Putin, I would ensure this would be the last attack by making it extremely costly to the bearded perpetrators, their inbred towel head/camel jokey funders in Saudi and Qatar, their controllers in Tel Aviv, their suppliers in Turkey, etc.

The US will find a way to bomb Assad as getting control of Syria is essential for the West, meaning the International Dep State. But this time, it is more difficult to hide this no-more-a-secret agenda. We are in the verge of a dangerous war between nuclear powers. When this occur, Israel will probably get hit because it is perceived as controlling the USA and there is some truth to this.

We are now in the "Dead Zone," and Trump is Greg Stillson

After 18 years the US can't beat 10,000 Taliban, what more do you need to know.

lol.. I think it's fantastic that Russia "spilled the beans" on these little rats and their planned operation.

 

[Mick West]

https://www.rt.com/news/438158-staged-chemical-attack-idlib/ (http://archive.is/0Zc0K)

Filming of staged chemical attack in Syrian Idlib begins - Russian MoD
Published time: 11 Sep, 2018 11:25
Edited time: 11 Sep, 2018 12:10

Footage, meant to serve as proof that the Syrian government has conducted a chemical weapons attack in Idlib, Syria, is to be handed to global news outlets by the end of Tuesday, the Russian military claims.

Several Middle East TV channels and a US news channel have been sent to Jisr al-Shughur in Syria's Idlib Governorate to produce the footage needed for the provocation, a statement by the Russian Center for Syrian Reconciliation said. It added the intelligence came from local residents of Jisr al-Shughur.

"All the footage of the staged provocation in Jisr al-Shughur is to be delivered to the newsrooms of TV channels, which are to broadcast it after its publication on social media," the statement claimed.

It also said that an Islamist group was provided with two canisters of a "chlorine-based chemical" for the purpose of the operation.

The Russian military said the footage would include scenes of White Helmets operatives treating supposed victims of an apparent barrel bomb chemical weapon attack by Damascus.

Moscow has repeatedly warned that a false flag chemical weapon attack was being prepared in Idlib, giving the US and its allies justification to attack Syrian government forces. Senior US officials have threatened Damascus with retaliation if it uses chemical weapons in Idlib and even preemptively assigned the blame for any such attack to the government.

I find all this quite remarkable. If there is a chemical weapons attack in Syria then it will be a high level false flag attack. Either (as RT claims) it's the US-backed rebels staging the attack as a pretext to attack Damascus, or (as seems more likely to me) it's the Russian-backed Syrian government carrying out an actual attack to provoke a US response to bolster local (Syrian) support for the attacks on Idlib.

Other possibilities are that it's all just talk to distract from the the Idlib offensive — with the constant barrage of accusations having the same effect as actual events. Or it might be a more complex plot, yet to become clear.

RT/Russia predict the event for sometime today. It's currently morning in the US, approaching evening in Syria.

 

[Mick West]

Opposing takes from Western media:
http://www.foxnews.com/world/2018/0...s-attack-ground-invasion-by-assad-forces.html

[Moaed Tomah, a 28-year-old political science student in Idlib] said "propaganda" has been circulating from the Assad side that the White Helmets, also known as the Syrian Civil Defense – a volunteer organization of first responder and rescue workers in rebel-controlled regions – are "preparing to carry out a chemical attack on civilians," igniting steep worry that they are in fact setting the stage for a sinister cover-up.

https://www.independent.co.uk/news/...tle-un-russia-air-strikes-assad-a8531976.html (http://archive.is/X6p6P)

In contrast to rebel enclaves in Damascus, Aleppo, and southern Syria, the Idlib enclave poses no direct threat to nearby loyalist areas. Damascus, Moscow, and their western allies have instead warned that the rebels were planning to attack with chemical weapons, a propaganda ploy they have reputedly used to obscure the origin of illegal war tactics that western governments, the UN and the OPCW have repeatedly stated are being launched by Mr Assad's troops.

http://time.com/5392072/john-bolton-syria-chemical-attack/ (http://archive.is/Y847w)

By W.J. HENNIGAN September 10, 2018
Assad has repeatedly denied the use of chemical weapons. The Russian and Syrian governments claim that the rebels — not Assad — plan to launch a chemical weapons attack. On Monday, Bolton called that statement "one of the most outrageous claims that I can think of" in the history of government-issued propaganda.

 

[Mick West]

https://www.washingtonpost.com/loca...65d92a3585d_story.html?utm_term=.33f656a36e5b (http://archive.is/i578k)

By Laura Vozzella
September 8 [2018]
RICHMOND — Fresh off a sit-down with Syrian President Bashar al-Assad, Virginia state Sen. Richard H. Black turned up on an Arab TV channel last week making an extraordinary claim about one of the United States' closest allies.

Black said Britain's MI6 intelligence service was planning a chemical weapons attack on the Syrian people, which it would then blame on Assad.

"Around four weeks ago, we knew that British intelligence was working toward a chemical attack in order to blame the Syrian government, to hold Syria responsible," Black said on Al Mayadeen, an Arab news channel based in Beirut.

Black (R-Loudoun) said later that he meant the British were planning not to carry out an attack themselves, but to either direct rebels to do so or stage a phony attack, with actors posing as victims.

Black also said some chemical attacks previously reported to have occurred in Syria were British fakes, pulled off with help from volunteer first responders known as White Helmets.

(Note for non-US readers, State Senators, especially from small states like Virginia, are local politicians with little national relevance).

Black is a very strong supporter of RT.

 

[Mick West]

https://www.rt.com/news/438282-white-helmets-film-chemical-attacks/

White Helmets making films of 'chemical attacks' with orphans in Idlib – Russian military
Published time: 12 Sep, 2018 13:50
Edited time: 12 Sep, 2018 15:06

The White Helmets have shot at least nine videos intended to serve as proof in accusations that the Syrian government conducted a chemical weapon attack using chlorine against civilians in Idlib, the Russian military claims.

A number of Middle Eastern TV channels and a regional affiliate of a US broadcaster "have shot nine videos, in Jisr al-Shughur city in Idlib province, of a staged chemical attack" that will be blamed on the Syrian government, the Russian Reconciliation Center In Syria said in a statement on Wednesday.

All videos show activists from the White Helmets group, which purportedly provides assistance to civilians, the statement claims.

The Russian military details that on September 11, the White Helmets and terrorists from Tahrir al-Sham (commonly known as Al-Qaeda in Syria) held a meeting following the filming process, in which they selected two out of nine videos for future transfer to the United Nations and the Organisation for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons (OPCW). The remaining videos are to be used for propaganda on social media networks due to the poor quality, the military claims.

At the same time, since September 9, the White Helmets have been staging rehearsals of an alleged chemical attack in Khan Shaykhun, Russian officials say in the same statement, claiming that the rehearsals feature up to 30 civilians, including a dozen children aged 8-12.

 

[Mick West]

The "Russian Reconciliation Center for Syria" has a light Wikipedia page:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Russian_Reconciliation_Center_for_Syria

The Russian Reconciliation Center for Syria or Russian Centre for the Reconciliation of Opposing Sides in the Syrian Arab Republic, founded 23 February 2016, states that it is a "peace monitoring center and information office" whose stated aim is to speed the peace negotiations between the Syrian Arab Republicand opposition groups. It is a joint Turkish-Russian enterprise founded in agreement with the US-led coalition and is headquartered in Khmeimim Air Base, Latakia, Syria. It is also tasked with coordinating humanitarian missions and organizing localities to sign up to cease fire agreements.[1]

In May, the reconciliation center was able to deliver 4.7 tonnes of humanitarian aid in 10 missions within 24 hours.[2]

The Russian Reconciliation Center has also reported on so-called "video brigades" that carry out staged filming of made-up scenes after airstrikes, shelling and incidents involving chemical weapons. It has also alleged that "consultants" for the brigades were known to locals as Al Jazeera cameramen.[3] Al Jazeera has denied similar claims