MEF Uncovers Syria’s Covert Chemical Weapons Program

A Dossier Based on Six Years of Clandestine Intelligence Gathering Reveals a Chemical Weapons Program Far More Sophisticated than Previously Known

Some of the individuals responsible for Syria’s clandestine chemical weapons program.

PHILADELPHIA – May 5, 2025 – The Middle East Forum (MEF) has released “Syria’s Clandestine Chemical Arsenal: The Complete Dossier,” (link) a report exposing the inner workings of Syria’s chemical weapons program based on six years of intelligence gathering by MEF’s network of sources within the Syrian regime.

The report reveals an intricate system designed to develop, produce, and deploy chemical and biological weapons while evading international scrutiny, even as Syria claimed to have dismantled its program under international supervision.

“Our investigation uncovered a program far more sophisticated, resilient, and extensive than previously understood,” said Gregg Roman, MEF’s executive director and the report’s author. “The complete picture that emerges is one of systematic deception orchestrated at the highest levels of the Syrian government, with direct oversight from the Presidential Palace.”

The report provides unprecedented detail on:

  • The three-generational structure of scientific personnel who maintained continuity and expertise within the program
  • Key security officers who managed the covert movement and deployment of chemical weapons
  • Direct control mechanisms from the Presidential Palace that maintained oversight of the entire enterprise
  • Geographic coordinates of facilities, including research centers, manufacturing sites, and storage depots
  • Sophisticated front companies and procurement strategies that circumvented international sanctions
  • Deliberate deception tactics used to mislead international inspectors while preserving prohibited capabilities

“This investigation was made possible by courageous individuals who risked everything to document a program designed to remain hidden,” added Roman. “As Syria undergoes political transition, this information provides an essential roadmap for addressing the legacy of its chemical weapons program.”

The intelligence contained in the report is based on firsthand accounts from regime insiders, intercepted communications, and documentary evidence collected by MEF’s sources between 2018 and 2024. The Assad regime’s collapse finally allowed sources to speak openly and confirm details previously difficult to verify.


The Middle East Forum, a non-profit organization founded in 1994 by Daniel Pipes, promotes American interests and Western values in the Middle East. MEF accomplishes its mission through intellectual and activist efforts.

For more information, visit www.meforum.org.

For immediate release

For more information, contact:

Gregg Roman
roman@meforum.org
+1 (215) 546 5406

Gregg Roman is the executive director of the Middle East Forum, previously directing the Community Relations Council of the Jewish Federation of Greater Pittsburgh. In 2014, the Jewish Telegraphic Agency named him one of the “ten most inspiring global Jewish leaders,” and he previously served as the political advisor to the deputy foreign minister of Israel and worked for the Israeli Ministry of Defense. A frequent speaker on Middle East affairs, Mr. Roman appears on international news channels such as Fox News, i24NEWS, Al-Jazeera, BBC World News, and Israel’s Channels 12 and 13. He studied national security and political communications at American University and the Interdisciplinary Center in Herzliya, and has contributed to The Hill, Newsweek, the Los Angeles Times, the Miami Herald, and the Jerusalem Post.
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