At least, thirty people were killed and over 100 wounded in a double suicide car bombing targeting security and intelligence buildings in Damascus, Friday. Many civilians and several soldiers were killed when suicide bombers blew up vehicles at two security service bases in the Syrian capital, state television reported. The blasts happened after a week-long crackdown on anti-regime activists intensified killing more than 200 in just two days. The report, about an hour after the blasts went off, said initial investigations showed involvement by the Al-Qaeda terrorist network. It showed footage of several mutilated and torn bodies on the ground, with rubble, twisted debris and burnt cars littered on the road. Bystanders and ambulance workers used blankets and stretchers to carry blood-stained bodies into vehicles. Friday's explosions went off within minutes of each other, shaking residents around the city. They took place in the upscale Kfar Sousa district, and the report said they targeted the state security building and a nearby intelligence building in the neighborhood. Experts opine that Assad's regime would appear to be setting itself on a collision course. It has let in outside observers for the first time to monitor his commitment to halting the crackdown on dissent. As an advance team for the Arab League observers flew into Damascus Thursday, activists said the regime was already acting to prevent the mission from seeing protesters arrested in the crackdown. Thousands of prisoners have been moved into military facilities, which are off limits to the monitors, two dissidents said. Meanwhile in response to the escalated violence, Switzerland has frozen $53 million of funds belonging to Syrian President Bashar Al-Assad and other top officials.
