▁in ▁Sy ria , ▁Colonel ▁Sal im ▁H atum ▁attempted ▁to ▁take ▁control ▁of ▁the ▁nation ▁by ▁arrest ing ▁several ▁of ▁the ▁nation ' s ▁leaders ▁host age ▁while ▁they ▁were ▁at ▁Ba ' ath ist ▁Party ▁Head quarters ▁in ▁the ▁Dru ze ▁Muslim ▁city ▁of ▁As - Su way da . ▁The ▁military ▁strong man , ▁General ▁Sal ah ▁J ad id , ▁and ▁President ▁N ure dd in ▁al - At ass i , ▁were ▁taken ▁host age ▁while ▁H atum ▁made ▁his ▁dem ands ▁and ▁threatened ▁to ▁execute ▁them . ▁ ▁Def ense ▁Minister ▁Ha fe z ▁al - Ass ad , ▁however , ▁was ▁still ▁in ▁Dam asc us ▁and , ▁after ▁warning ▁H atum ▁and ▁his ▁mut ine ers ▁to ▁lay ▁down ▁their ▁weapons , ▁bom bed ▁the ▁city ' s ▁cit adel , ▁and ▁sent ▁t anks ▁and ▁men ▁of ▁the ▁ 7 0 th ▁Arm ored ▁Command ▁to ▁re take ▁the ▁city . ▁ ▁H atum ▁was ▁able ▁to ▁fle e ▁to ▁neighbor ing ▁Jordan , ▁and ▁ 4 0 0 ▁Sy rian ▁Army ▁officers ▁were ▁dismiss ed . ▁ ▁Ass ad ▁cons olid ated ▁further ▁power ▁as ▁the ▁gu ar ant or ▁of ▁the ▁regime ' s ▁safety , ▁and ▁would ▁se ize ▁control ▁of ▁Sy ria ▁in ▁ 1 9 7 0 . ▁ ▁As ▁for ▁the ▁not or iously ▁r uth less ▁Colonel ▁H atum , ▁he ▁would ▁be ▁sent enced ▁to ▁death ▁in ▁absent ia , ▁but ▁would ▁make ▁the ▁mistake ▁of