the State Department spokesman , Sean McCormack , blamed Syria further by saying its president , Bashar al-Assad , met last month with top leaders of Palestinian militant groups , including Islamic Jihad .
Bashar al-Assad /people/person/nationality Syria
DT NNP NNP NN , NNP NNP , VBD NNP RB IN VBG PRP$ NN , NNP NNP , VBD JJ NN IN JJ NNS IN JJ JJ NNS , VBG NNP NNP .