Syrian opposition leaders report an alarming growth within their ranks of
fighters from Jabhat al-Nusra, an extremist group linked
to al-Qaeda.
The Jabhat group now has somewhere between 6,000 and 10,000 fighters,
according to officials of an non-governmental organization that represents the
more moderate wing of the Free Syrian Army (FSA). They say that the al-Qaeda
affiliate now accounts for 7.5 percent to 9 percent of the Free Syrian Army's
total fighters, up sharply from an estimated 3 percent three months ago and 1
percent at the beginning of the year...
http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/post-partisan/post/al-qaeda-affiliate-playing-larger-role-in-syria-rebellion/2012/11/30/203d06f4-3b2e-11e2-9258-ac7c78d5c680_blog.html