ISTANBUL
Syria's President Bashar al-Assad on Wednesday accused Western countries of supporting al-Qaida and financing terrorism in his country.
"The West is supporting al-Qaida and they are financing terrorism but they will pay a heavy price for it at the heart of the United States and Europe," Assad told a televised interview aired on state-run al-Ikhbariya channel to mark the Syria's independence day.
Assad also accused Western powers of "double standards," saying they fought al-Qaida in Mali while backing the group "in Syria, Libya and elsewhere as they did in Afghanistan and later paid a heavy price."
