our correspondent paul word and cameraman fred scott have been with rebel forces on the outskirts of damascus where reporting is severely restricted. this is their exclusive report for the bbc. >> we're in president assad's backyard. his palace is little more than three miles away. but here you find rebel fighters, not government troops. the rebels can't really be set to hold this ground. they only fear as long as government forces are not. but still the rebel forces are adamant they will try again to push into the capitol. for the time being, they wait. someone's home is now their bar racks. fresh recruits arrive every day, so many there's hardly room. ali, who's 18, was send by his parents to jordan for safety. they think he's studying computer science. he joined in a cheeky song addressed to the president's mother. who gave birth to a donkey, they chant. such words would once have been a death sentence. the small taste of the freedom they're fighting for. but many don't know the first thing about weapons. and soon they'll be thrown into battle with what you see here. the last assa

it is clear beyond any reasonable dispute that fred woods is any danger to anybody. it has been 36 years. >> scottwyer. >> the reason we have a parole system is because we believe in rehabilitation as a society. we believe people can change. >> they have had some surprising allies in their fight for release. one is retired appellate judge william knew some who took part in the decision that made them eligible for parole. the other who successfully prosecuted the three. he declined to be interviewed but he sent copies of letters he wrote urging the relief -- rel of richard schoenfeld. >> it is hard for me to understand how after all of these years public servants could turn and be tray the victims that they were supposed to be protecting. >>> although richard schoenfeld was released from prison in june 2012, fred woods and james schoenfeld remain behind bars. >> they need to stay in there. you can't believe how hard my heart is pounding right now with this discussion with parole. i believe they need to serve their term. it has affected each one of us individually in different ways, but we are haunt

are it is clear beyond any reasonable dispute that fred woods is no danger to anybody. it has been 36 years. >> scott handleman is richard schoenfeld's lawyer. >> i think that the reason we have a parole system is because we believe in rehabilitation as a sew sigh tie and believe that people can change. >> they had surprising allies in their fight for release. one is retired judge william newsom who took part in the decision in 1980 that made them eligible for parole. another is david minutier who successfully prosecuted the three. although he declined a request to be independent viewed he did provide copies of letters he wrote to the parole board urging the release of richard schoenfeld. >> it is hard for me to comprehend how after all these years public servants could turn and betray the victims that they were supposed to be protecting. >> although richard schoenfeld was released from prison in june of 2012, fred woods and james schoenfeld remain behind bars. >> you would not leave how hard my heart is pounding right now what what we are discussing with parole. i feel they he need to serve their te

are it is clear beyond any reasonable dispute that fred woods is no danger to anybody. it has been 36 years. >> scottandleman is richard schoenfeld's lawyer. >> i think that the reason we have a parole system is because we believe in rehabilitation as a sew sigh tie and believe that people can change. >> they had surprising allies in their fight for release. one is retired judge william newsom who took part in the decision in 1980 that made them eligible for parole. another is david minutier who successfully prosecuted the three. although he declined a request to be independent viewed he did provide copies of letters he wrote to the parole board urging the release of richard schoenfeld. >> it is hard for me to comprehend how after all these years public servants could turn and betray the victims that they were supposed to be protecting. >> although richard schoenfeld was released from prison in june of 2012, fred woods and james schoenfeld remain behind bars. >> you would not leave how hard my heart is pounding right now what what we are discussing with parole. i feel they he need to serve their term