He also told reporters he had last visited Syria at Christmas. But News Corp reported on Friday that Eideh had made two further trips to Syria in April and July. Asked if he had visited Syria in July, Eideh said: “Of course, I have my father there… He is 90 and can’t travel back.”“We have got family in Lebanon and Syria. It is not clear whether US authorities were aware of the recent trips, as Eideh told News Corp you “don’t need a passport” to cross from Lebanon to Syria. But he said last month that US officials were told of both his Syrian citizenship status and the fact that he regularly visited Syria before issuing the diplomatic visa.

Source: The Guardian August 11, 2017 07:07 UTC