Syrian President Assad accuses West of interference on national TV

In this image from video broadcast on Syrian state television Wednesday, April 17, 2013, President Bashar Assad speaks during an interview. Syria’s president accused the West on Wednesday of backing al-Qaida in his country’s civil war, warning it will pay a price “in the heart” of Europe and the United States as the terror network becomes emboldened. The rare TV interview comes as the embattled president’s military is fighting to reverse rebel advances, with a rocket attack killing at least 12 people in a central village on Wednesday. <AP Photo/Syrian State TV via AP video>