March 24, 2013: Syrian Alawites Mahmoud Maraie, second left, and Bassam al-Malek, second right, talk with other members of the Syrian Alawite sect who are opposed to Syrian President Bashar Assad in Cairo, Egypt. Members of Assad's Alawite sect met in Cairo on Sunday in an attempt to distance themselves from the Damascus regime in its crackdown on the Syrian revolution. (AP) CAIRO – Dozens of people from Syrian President Bashar Assad's own minority sect met in Cairo on Sunday to send an unusual message to their fellow Alawites back home: Join the opposition before it is too late.
The Alawites have long been seen as a backbone of the Assad regime, and a decision to support the rebel force in Syria is complicated by the fact that many see their own futures interlocked with Assad's survival.
The pressure on Alawites who dare oppose Assad comes not only from the regime, but also from within their own families. Nearly all of the 50 Alawites at the opposition conference have been arrested, abused or threatened for their political views. One participant said he received an email threatening his life if he attended the conference....... FULL ARTICLE: Members of Syrian leader's sect form opposition group, back rebels | Fox News
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