Al-Qaida said behind Syrian attacks

UNITED NATIONS, Aug. 2 (UPI) -- Iraq's ambassador to the United Nations said al-Qaida terrorists have moved into Syria and are responsible for numerous suicide attacks.

Hamid al Bayati said terrorists from al-Qaida's affiliate in Iraq have moved into Syria and have committed multiple suicide attacks during the civil war between Syrian president Bashar Assad and the rebel Free Syrian Army, CBS News reported.

"Al-Qaida is playing a role, even in Iraq," al Bayati said. "They became very active recently during the holy month of Ramadan. We had the bloodiest day of attacks in which more than 100 people were killed, a couple of days ago, and that's a sign that this kind of fundamentalism, or extremism or al-Qaida, could spill over from Syria to many countries; could be Lebanon, could be Jordan, and even Iraq."

Al Bayati said the attacks could be a product of the Assad regime allowing al-Qaida forces to attack Iraq by entering through the Syria-Iraq border.

Al Bayati said the U.N. General Assembly is expected to support a peace plan proposed by former Syrian special peace envoy Kofi Annan without calling for Assad to step down.