The spokesman for al-Ahmed's wing of the Baath Party in Syria contended Monday that the videotaped statement was fabricated and alleged that the man could have been paid to make it.

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Ibrahim said he received orders from Sattam Farhan, who he said was a Baath Party leader in Syria.

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It lies on Lake Assad and after the dam was built the town was renamed Thawra - Arabic for revolution - in honour of the the coup in 1963 which brought the Baath party that governs Syria to power.

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