Secret Weapon?

Last week Syria's state-run TV station, Addounia (headed by a cousin of President Bashar al-Assad), aired a report claiming that Barcelona's Lionel Messi (right), Andrés Iniesta and Pedro staged a play during their Jan. 25 Copa Del Rey match against Real Madrid so that the ball's path across the pitch would reveal the best route for Syrian rebels to smuggle guns into the country. With the action superimposed on a map, an anchor explained, "First we see how the guns are brought from Lebanon.... Then they pass through Homs and are delivered to another terrorist.... Then they are transported by bus to the final destination, located in Al-Magadin."

[The following text appears within a map. Please see hardcopy or PDF for actual map.]

SYRIA

Aleppo

Raqqa

Hama

Palmyra