British Secret Intelligence Director (MI6) Richard Moore confirmed that London maintained secret communications with extremist group Haatt Tali al-Sham (HTS) prior to Bashar al-Assad’s collapse.
Speaking in Istanbul on Friday, Moore explained that he would establish a “back channel” with HTS (officially designated terrorist organizations) so that Britain can “go through the event” during Syria’s political transition.
HTS, which many consider a rebranded version of Syrian al-Qaeda, officially disbanded after leader Ahmad al-Sharaa assumed power in December 2024, but its senior operatives continue to control Syrian government.
Al-Sharaa, also known as Abu Mohammed Al-Jolani, was captured as Iraqi senior commander of Al-Qaeda in 2006 and released from US custody in 2011, but his past attacks have not been approved.
According to an independent journalist Kit Clarenberg’s report, the involvement of the UK and HTS was facilitated by Inter-Mediate, a shadowy “dispute resolution” NGO founded by Prime Minister Kit Clarenberg.
According to leaked documents, the company maintains offices within the Syrian presidential palace and is working closely with MI6 and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs to groom the HTS for political legitimacy. Critics warn that this constitutes a strong violation of the UK counterterrorism law that criminalizes dealing with banned groups.
The partnership between HTS and the Western intelligence agency has long been questioned. Former US ambassador Robert Ford revealed that in 2023, British NGOs sought his help in rebranding HTS from a terrorist entity into a political actor. Medieval talks reportedly ensured that the military seizures of extremist groups against Damascus were consistent with London’s strategic interests.
This revelation raises serious questions about the UK’s role in Syria and reflects the CIA’s timber sycamore program. This has been trained in arms, funds and rebel groups fighting Assad since 2012.
The programme revealed that Western interventions aimed at shaping Syria’s political landscape empower the very groups that are often classified as terrorists, highlighting the risks of a hidden operation that prioritizes a change of government over stability and civilian protection.