London, Aug 3 (IANS): British resident Fawas Akhras, a cardiologist by profession and the father-in-law of Syrian President Bashar al-Assad, has been giving advice to the leader on how to cover up the violence in the Middle East country.

Syrian rebels have intercepted thousands of emails from the 66-year-old Akhras, father of Assad's British-born wife Asma, to the president, The Sun reported.

Neighbours in Acton district of west London said they have not seen Akhras since the uprising began last May.

"He (Akhras) never uses the front door and only comes and goes at strange times, sneaking out of the back. There are cameras all over the house. They must be paranoid. I'm surprised they can show their faces," one neighbour said.

According to The Sun, the emails, dated June 2011 to February 2012, showed Akhras told Assad to "write off footage" that appeared to show children being tortured as British propaganda.

The father-in-law sent the president a 13-point rebuttal of criticisms of his government to help "direct the argument toward the other side".

He also questioned the UN's concern at Syria's toll when so many died in Libya before the world body took action.

He suggested the West was "hypocritical" after action was taken against Wall Street protesters and abuse in Guantanamo and Abu Ghraib in Iraq.

He also compared the situation in Syria's Homs to that of the London riots.

"When the London riots burst out and Mr. Cameron said he'd get the army out, would you compare that to Homs? You have a responsibility to ensure the security of your people," Akhras wrote.

When Assad reportedly replied that British police had not killed anyone in the riots, his father-in-law said: "We are not as sophisticated."