There are reports that America's Military Attache to Syria was shot, but is unhurt. The attack happened in the past fortnight.

He was patrolling the Syria-Iraq border - as he does once a month, to check for Syrian compliance with US demands - when he was shot from the Iraqi side of the border.

The US Embassies in Syria and Iraq did not comment, but the Bush Adminstration's propaganda radio station Radio Sawa reported the incident.