Al Arabiya, 28 Sep 2012 – Syrians have moved some of their chemical weapons capability to better secure it, but the country’s main chemical weapons sites remain intact and secure under government control, U.S. Defense Secretary Leon Panetta said on Friday, citing U.S. intelligence.

“There has been some intelligence that with regards to some of these sites that there has been some movement in order for the Syrians to better secure … the chemicals,” Panetta told a Pentagon news conference with his Canadian counterpart, according to Reuters. “So while there’s been some limited movement, again the major sites still remain in place, still remain secure.”
“We still believe, based on what we know and what we’re monitoring, that the principal sites remain secure,” he said.

Asked if rebel forces had gotten their hands on some chemical stockpiles, Panetta said: “I don’t have any specific information about the opposition and whether or not they’ve obtained some of this or how much they’ve maintained,” according to AFP.

Syria’s chemical weapons stockpile, which dates back to the 1970s, is the largest in the Middle East, but its precise scope remains unclear, according to analysts.

The regime has said it might use its chemical weapons if attacked by outside countries, although not against its own people.