Official CNN statement or press release

CNN Confirms Freed Syrian Prisoner Salama Mohammad Salama Was Assad Intelligence Officer

Dec 17, 2024, 01:51 PM

CNN has confirmed that a man featured in a recent report as a freed prisoner from a secret Syrian jail was actually Salama Mohammad Salama, a former intelligence officer in the Assad regime. Initially presented as a civilian named Adel Gharbal, Salama was identified through facial recognition software and testimonies from residents of Homs, where he was known for managing checkpoints notorious for extortion and abuse. The report, led by journalist Clarissa Ward, depicted the man as a victim of the Assad regime. However, investigations by Syrian fact-checking organization Verify-Sy revealed that Salama, also known as Abu Hamza, was involved in torture, extortion, and other abuses during his tenure as a first lieutenant in the Syrian Air Force Intelligence Directorate. Salama was reportedly detained for less than a month over a dispute with a superior officer regarding extorted funds. Clarissa Ward's emotional reaction in the report, combined with the lack of verification, has drawn widespread criticism. CNN has launched an internal investigation into the incident.