Syrian opposition insists VP defection reports are genuine

Syrian opposition insists VP defection reports are genuine: A Syria opposition official insisted Satruday that reports Vice President Farouq al-Sharie has defected are genuine, and said he was being held under house arrest by the Syrian regime. A Syrian National Council (SNC) official told Al Arabiya that a Syrian TV statement that “Sharie never thought of leaving the country” was incorrect. SNC legal office head Marwan Hji al-Rifai told Al Arabiya that Sharie was under house arrest and like other “noble” people he had attempted defect to save his family.