Official Syrian government statements or credible international news reports

CNN Confirms Syrian 'Prisoner' Salama Mohammad Salama Was Assad Intelligence Officer, Identified by Clarissa Ward

Dec 17, 2024, 02:29 PM

CNN has confirmed that a man featured in a video report as a Syrian prisoner rescued from a secret prison in Damascus was actually Salama Mohammad Salama, a former intelligence officer in the Assad regime. The report, which initially identified the man as Adel Gharbal, a civilian from Homs, was led by CNN's chief international correspondent Clarissa Ward. Ward and her team were searching for missing American journalist Austin Tice when they stumbled upon the man in a locked cell. Subsequent investigations revealed that Salama, also known as Abu Hamza, was a first lieutenant in the Syrian Air Force Intelligence Directorate, notorious for his activities in Homs. He was accused of managing security checkpoints and engaging in theft, extortion, and coercion. CNN used facial recognition software to confirm Salama's identity, achieving a 99% match with a photograph provided by a Homs resident. The Syrian fact-checking organization Verify-Sy first identified Salama, reporting that he was detained due to an extortion dispute with a higher-ranking officer. The network is continuing to investigate the circumstances surrounding Salama's detention and release, as well as his current whereabouts.