Ghalioun's SNC: 'In the coming days we'll get a shipment of weapons into Syria via Turkey!'

"...Re-elected, somewhat grudgingly, as leader of Syria's opposition coalition, Burhan Ghalioun (is) dropping his past reluctance to support the militarization of the movement to end four decades of Assad family rule - and breaking with the caution favored by Western powers - Ghalioun said he now supported arming the rebel Free Syrian Army and voiced impatience with some of the Council's foreign backers.

"We do not deal weapons but we will make some agreements and some countries promised us that they would provide the Free Syrian Army with weapons," he said.

A senior SNC member told Reuters on condition of anonymity that in the coming days the SNC would send a shipment of weapons into Syria via Turkey. While Western governments are wary of military involvement, Arab powers Qatar and Saudi Arabia favor arming the rebels - though few weapons appear to have arrived.

While refocusing the SNC may please revolutionary groups within Syria, many of them army deserters, the council and its leader Ghalioun have much to do to win respect from those facing arrest, torture and death inside the country.

"Ghalioun and his SNC followers fly in jets and worry about which hotel they want to meet at," said an activist from Idlib province who gave his name only as Ammar for fear of reprisals. ..."