Iraqi PM orders security review of Syrian border

Baghdad - Iraq's Prime Minister says all intelligence or tips about weapons smuggling and insurgent travel from Iraq to Syria must be investigated — no matter how weak the information may be.

Nouri al-Maliki on Saturday ordered a review of Iraq's 363 miles (605 kilometres) of border with Syria to clamp down on illegal traffic between the two counties.

Last week, US intelligence chief James Clapper said a series of bombings against the Syrian regime in recent months in Damascus and Aleppo bear the hallmarks of al Qaeda. Iraqi and US officials believe some of the terror fighters may be coming to Syria from Iraq.
 
In a statement, al-Maliki identified weapons smuggling as a top problem.