nst the United States, and had brought Carlos out of retirement to lead it. In response to the information, the CIA and it's British counterpart MI6, sent agents into the field to find Carlos. With the onset of war in the Gulf, Syria, in opposition to the Kuwait invasion, adopted a more co-operative stance with the West. In support of this newfound alliance, Syrian President Haffez al-Assad made the decision to oust Carlos and directed his intelligence service to assist the CIA and the DST to capture him. Although al-Assad openly agreed with the plan, he refused to allow Carlos to be snatched from within Syria, which meant that he would have to be taken as he left the country. One such opportunity presented itself when Carlos, running short of money, made plans to return to Czechoslovakia a second time to retrieve his funds. Syrian intelligence passed on the details of the forthcoming trip to the CIA but the Americans were forbidden by law to seize terrorists in foreign countries unless they had committed crimes against the United States. Anxious to capitalise on the information, the CIA passed on the information to the DST but their plan to take Carlos was put on hold when he cancelled his travel plans. Finally, in September 1991, Carlos was expelled from Syria and travelled to Libya under a diplomatic passport. He arrived at Tripoli airport in company with Kopp, their five-year-old-daughter, Carlos's mother and Johannes Weinrich. Carlos told Libyan airport officials that he and his party had been chased out of Syria and wished to stay in Libya. They were allowed to stay in the country for several days but their application to stay indefinitely was rejected and they were forced to return to Syria. The Syrians were not impressed that Carlos had returned and suggesting that he should go to Lebanon. Carlos refused and instead sent Kopp and Weinrich to Yemen to pave the way for his arrival but again their application was rejecte...
