Syrian Officials Deny Chemical Weapons Have Been Used

Despite evidence seen by intelligence services to the contrary

DAMASCUS, Syria (AP) -- Two Syrian officials denied Friday that government forces had used chemical weapons against rebels, Damascus' first response to U.S. assertions that it had.

On Thursday, the White House and other top Obama administration officials said that U.S. intelligence had concluded with "varying degrees of confidence" that the Syrian government has twice used chemical weapons in its civil war.