France Freezes Assets of 9 Firms, 3 Individuals Over Syrian Gas Weapons Links

PARIS (Sputnik) - The French government has frozen the assets of nine companies and three individuals allegedly associated with the development of chemical weapons in Syria, French Foreign Minister Jean-Yves Le Drian and Economy Minister Bruno Le Maire said on Friday in a joint communique.

"France has taken national measures to freeze assets of three networks operating in the interests of the Syrian Research Center … Three individuals and nine companies have been targeted for their participation in the research and/or acquisition of materials for this center to develop the chemical and ballistic weapons of this country," the document read.

READ MORE: OPCW Report on 'Chemical Attack' in Syria Feb. 4 Bewildering — Russian MoD

Earlier this month, the French Defense Minister Florence Parley told RTL Radio, that his country would consider the options to strike Syria again if there were reports about new poison gas attacks.

Last month the United States, the United Kingdom, and France launched over 100 missiles on multiple targets in Syria in response to the alleged chemical attack in Eastern Ghouta's Douma that reportedly took place on April 7.

Damascus strongly denied accusations, while Moscow stated, that the whole incident was a provocation, carried out to justify the followed aggression against Syria. Later Russian journalists found alleged victims of the "chemical attack", who asserted they were forced into the staged video.