"In his first interview with a western newspaper since leaving Syria, the country's biggest
industrial tycoon has told the Daily Telegraph of how the ownership of his
conglomerate of huge companies is to be given to a panel of leading opposition
figures, and the profits used to help to build a democratic society in Syria. "I am supporting a complete program [to oust the regime]. I am putting my
fortune behind this, totally, until the end," said Mr Tlass. "But this is
nothing. If I give all my money it is not worth one gram of the blood spilt by
the Syrian people." The Tlass family has long been a stalwart of the Syrian regime. Mr Firas'
father Mustafa Tlass and Bashar al-Assad's father Hafez, worked together to
bring the Assad family to power. His brother is the defected Brigadier General
Manaf Tlass who was a close childhood friend of the Syrian president." Don't you like it when a Tlas talks about "his fortune", as if it was obtained NOT through the regime itself. (thanks Sultan)