UN TO PROBE WHETHER CHEMICAL WEAPONS BEING USED IN SYRIA

NEW YORK— The United Nations will investigate the possible use of chemical weapons in Syria, which would amount to a crime against humanity, Secretary General Ban Ki-moon said Thursday.

The investigation could be broader than the Syrian government’s request for an independent probe of a purported chemical weapons attack Tuesday. Ban said he was aware of allegations of similar attacks and hoped the probe would ultimately help secure Syria’s chemical weapons stockpile.

The secretary general said investigators would look into Syria’s allegation that rebels carried out a chemical weap- ons attack on Khan al-Assal village in northern Aleppo province. The rebels blamed regime forces for the attack.

A senior U.S. official, meanwhile, said there were indications that no chemical weapons were used in the attack. However, the U.S. won’t entirely rule out the possibility, the official said.

UN spokesman Martin Nesirky said France and Britain wrote Ban asking for an investigation of three alleged chemical weapons attacks. He said Ban will review this suggestion as the UN develops the mandate for the investigation.

Syria is believed to have a stockpile of chemical weapons. The government has not confirmed it, but said it would not use such weapons against its people.