Syrian intel document: Shoot protesters

DAMASCUS, Syria, April 14 (UPI) -- A document drafted by Syrian intelligence reveals plans to shoot and discredit anti-regime protesters, an opposition group says.

In the event of a confrontation between military units and protesters, live ammunition can be used by "trained security agents along with the black battalions and the secret plain clothed battalions," the document allegedly drawn up by the Department of Intelligence and leaked to opposition groups says.

"The use of snipers by both battalions should be concealed in order to prevent any notice of the source of shots fired. In addition, it is acceptable to shoot some of the security agents or army officers in order to further deceive the enemy," the Arabic language document published on the Syrian Revolution Web site Wednesday says.

In the event of protesters' deaths, security officials are instructed to say "armed gangs and extremist gangs," were responsible and emphasize that the country's security forces are deployed to protect the people, the document states.

"Link the demonstrations and protests against the regime to figures hated by Syrians like Lebanese and Saudi Arabia known figures and link it all to Zionism and America," the document says. It advises the authorities to launch an "intensive media campaign accusing the protesters and the enemies of being agents of Saudi Arabia, Israel and America."

The document advises assigning personnel to pose as anti-regime activists and to use Facebook to "jam up the opponents."

Ban media from attending demonstrations and "punish those who convey news that does not serve the country, and show no leniency in this matter."

Security officials are also advised to "doctor" films and videos portraying images of the protests and "process scenes of protests to insert gaps in them. These scenes can then be displayed in the Syrian media," and the gaps in the footage used to discredit and raise doubts, the document says.