Khaddam expelled by Baath party

Dubai: The ruling Baath Party in Syria yesterday expelled Abdul Halim Khaddam for treason, the official news agency Sana reported.

The move comes two days after the former vice-president unleashed a barrage of criticism at President Bashar Al Assad and his government from exile in France, saying he had threatened Lebanese ex-premier Rafik Hariri, who was assassinated last February.

"Khaddam has betrayed the party, the homeland and the [Arab] nation. The Nationalist Command has decided to expel him from the party," Sana quoted a party statement as saying. "Khaddam made it blatantly clear that he has joined the American and Israeli plot, which aims at striking Syria's steadfastness and its nationalist role," it said.

Speaking to Gulf News, Dr George Jabbour, a member of the People's Assembly and a former adviser to President Hafez Al Assad who has known Khaddam since 1960, said: "Khaddam actually condemns himself when he condemns the regime ... if he has been a master politician and tactician for over 30 years, by doing what he did on Friday, he proved himself to be a master of stupidity." The parliament voted on Saturday to urge the government to put Khaddam on trial and accused him of corruption.