DEFENSE
i INTELLIGENCE
7 AGENCY
Syria: Muslim Brotherhood
Pressure Intensifies (U)
‘ MAY 1982
_ PROPERTY: OF DIA Liprapy
(RAE rr
7 Seenet
weed XawbreirIPTES (U)
SYRIA: MUSLIM BROTHERHOOD PRESSURE 1¥’
‘DDB-2630-34-82,
Information Cutoff Date: 22 April 1982
This is a Department of De Ligence Document
Prepared by theB@MOUSG Aaa)
Directorate for Research,
Defense Intelligence Agency| ae
SPCRET
PREFACE
(opmerem) syria is a crucial player in the Middle East equation because of
its involvement in the Arab-Israeli problem, its presence in Lebanon, and its
unique relationship with the Soviet Union. The stability of the Assad governnent
is an area of extreme concern since it could have a direct impact not only on the
Middle East peace process and regional stability, but on US-Soviet relations
Well. In 1979, the Syrian Muslim Brotherhood, a Sunni Muslin Islamic
fundamentalist organization, began a concerted effort to oust President Assad.
Although the Brotherhood attempt of 1979-80 was successfully thwarted by Assad, a
new venture began to be planned.in-Jate.1980,and by early 1982 the Hana rebellion
broke out. While the Brotherhood ‘suffered a second militery defeat, the Hana
episode reflected @ nev sophistication in Muslim Brotherhood planning and
operation:
(WU) Each classified title and heading in this report has been properly
marked; all those unmarked are unclassified.
(W) The following list of appraisals may serve as useful references: Syria:
Te Strategy of the Communist Party of Syria for Survival, DIAIAPPR 94-81, dated
30 June 1981; Syriai Assad and the Politics of Political Survival, DIATAPPR 97~
81, dated 9 July 1981; Syria: The Muslis Brotherhood Challenge chet Failed,
DIAIAPPR 112-B1, dated. 30 July 1981 and; Egypt? Muslim GrotheThood Threat,
DIAIAPPR 16-82, ‘deced 9 February 1962,
(UV) Contzibutions and coments fron the following
eee (b)@y10 USC 474
(U) Word processing support vas provided by(b)(@/10US0 424 |
(WU) Questions and commenté concerning this publication should be referred
in writing to the Defense Intelligence Agency(b)(3)10USC424 "] Washington, D.C.
20301. Requests for additional copies, should he forwarded through comand
approval channels, a8 appropriate, £duDtA‘A(0)(9).10USC 424 using DD form 1142,
ice With DIA Manual 59-3, DIA Reference
Interagency Document. Request, in accor
(Reverse Blank)CONTENTS
Page
SUMMARY sss eeseee
1, DISCUSSION so... sess
a. Background ..s..eee+
b. A New Leadership, A New Challenge
¢. Tactics to Topple the Assad Regine .
d. Premature Discovery .
2. CONCLUSION .
ILLUSTRATION
Map - Brotherhood Infiltration Routes to Hana .
(Revers® Brandy
seresuouay
(eiwenens)