Syrian dictator Bashar Assad IS guilty of crimes against humanity, Ban Ki-Moon

Syrian dictator Bashar Assad is guilty of crimes against humanity United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki-Moon said yesterday. He Syrian regime is guilty of 'many crimes against humanity', but stopped short of blaming it for chemical weapons attacks.

Western nations are threatening military strikes against the war-torn country's armed forces after accusing it of a poison gas attack last month that killed more than 1,400 people.

The Syrian government and rebels blame each other for the attack on August 21 in the Damascus suburb of Ghouta.

Speaking at the UN yesterday, Mr Ban said he believes there will be 'an overwhelming report' from UN inspectors that chemical weapons were used in the attack.

The Obama administration, which says 1,429 people were killed, has said it has evidence that clearly indicates the Syrian government was behind the attack.

But Russia, a key ally of Syrian dictator Bashar Assad, has said it is not convinced by the U.S. evidence.

The UN inspectors have a mandate to determine whether chemical weapons were used - and if so, which agent - not to establish who was responsible.

But two UN diplomats said the report could point to the perpetrators, saying that the inspectors collected many samples from the attack and also interviewed doctors and witnesses.

Mr Ban spoke shortly before the chief chemical weapons inspector, Ake Sellstrom, told The Associated Press that he would deliver his report to the secretary-general in New York this weekend.