In Syria, McCain 'regrettably' poses for photo with alleged kidnappers

The office of Sen. John McCain is fending off queries today after releasing a photo of the senator posing with armed Syrian rebels, two of whom Lebanese media have reportedly identified as alleged kidnappers of 11 Lebanese Shi'ite pilgrims.

(Image: Reuters via Buzzfeed)

As you may have heard, McCain quietly slipped into Syria for a meeting with rebel groups this week. The Arizona senator has been a leading proponent of arming the rebels and other aggressive military steps against the Assad regime.

According to the Washington Times, the two suspected kidnappers are members of of the Northern Star militant group.  Nine of the 11 kidnapped pilgrims remain unaccounted for.

Buzzfeed has the details of the questionable photograph:

The photo, released by McCain’s office, shows McCain with a group of rebels. Among them are two men identified in the Lebanese press as Mohamed Nour and Abu Ibrahim, two of the kidnappers of the group from Lebanon.

A McCain spokesman said that no one who met with McCain identified themselves by either of those names.

“In coordination with the Syrian Emergency Task Force, Senator John McCain traveled to and from Syria with General Salim Idris, the chief of staff of the Supreme Military Council of the Syrian opposition, to meet with two senior Free Syrian Army commanders,” said McCain spokesman Brian Rogers on Wednesday in an email to BuzzFeed. “None of the individuals the Senator planned to meet with was named Mohamad Nour or Abu Ibrahim. A number of other Syrian commanders joined the meeting, but none of them identified himself as Mohamad Nour or Abu Ibrahim.”

Is it hard to believe someone could have used a false name during the meeting with McCain?  Not really.

If that's the case and Sen. McCain did "pal around" with kidnappers in Syria, Rogers says it would be "regrettable."

“A number of the Syrians who greeted Senator McCain upon his arrival in Syria asked to take pictures with him, and as always, the Senator complied,” Rogers said. “If the individual photographed with Senator McCain is in fact Mohamed Nour, that is regrettable. But it would be ludicrous to suggest that the Senator in any way condones the kidnapping of Lebanese Shia pilgrims or has any communication with those responsible. Senator McCain condemns such heinous actions in the strongest possible terms,” Rogers said.

Rogers also suggested that the story had been slanted by pro-Assad forces: “It’s not surprising that the pro-Hezbollah forces supporting the Assad regime who originally promoted this distortion would seek to smear anything and anyone supporting the Syrian opposition.”