Kerry: Syria's Chemical Weapon Attack a 'Moral Obscenity'

Says chemical weapon use is 'undeniable,' accuses Assad of trying to cover it up
By Newser Editors and Wire Services
Posted Aug 26, 2013 2:42 PM CDT
Kerry: Syria's Chemical Weapon Attack a 'Moral Obscenity'
Secretary of State John Kerry speaks at the State Department about the situation in Syria.   (Manuel Balce Ceneta)

John Kerry says it's "undeniable" chemical weapons were used in Syria and is accusing President Bashar Assad of destroying the evidence. Ratcheting up criticism of Syria's alleged chemical weapons use, Kerry called last week's attack a "moral obscenity" that should shock the conscience of the world. He says the US has additional information about the attack and will make it public in the days ahead.

Kerry says shelling the affected area afterward was not the action of a government trying to cooperate with UN investigators trying to assess what happened.The alleged chemical weapons attack on August 21 that killed hundreds has moved the US closer to military action against Syria than at any point during the bloody civil war. Assad has denied launching a chemical attack. There's a full transcript of Kerry's remarks at the Washington Post. (More John Kerry stories.)

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