SYRIAN BANK FUNDED AL QAIDA

WASHINGTON [MENL] -- The United States has determined that a Syriangovernment bank helped fund Al Qaida. The Treasury Department said the Commercial Bank of Syria and itssubsidiary provided financial services to what the government agencydescribed as "terrorists and their sympathizers." The department did notidentify the groups, but officials said they included Al Qaida and satellitegroups.