CIA may target Syrian extremists with drones: report

March 16, 2013 by legitgov

CIA may target Syrian extremists with drones: report 16 Mar 2013 The US Central Intelligence Agency is collecting information on 'Islamic radicals' in Syria for possible lethal drone strikes against them at a later stage, The Los Angeles Times reported. Citing unnamed current and former US officials, the newspaper said President Barack Obama had not authorized any drone missile strikes in Syria yet, and none were under consideration. However CIA's Counterterrorism Center, which runs drone programs targeting militants in Pakistan and Yemen, had recently shifted several targeting officers to improve intelligence gathering on militants in Syria. The targeting officers focusing on Syria are based at CIA headquarters in Langley, Virginia, the paper said.