CNN is investigating the identity of a man who was reported to be a Syrian prisoner freed from a secret jail as cameras rolled. The man, who was introduced as Adel Ghurbal, claimed to be a civilian who had been arrested three months ago and spent time in three different jails while being regularly interrogated.
However, a local fact-checking group, Verify-SY, has reported that the man is actually Salama Mohammad Salama, also known as Abu Hamza, a first lieutenant in Syrian Air Force Intelligence notorious for torturing young men. Verify-SY claims that Abu Hamza was involved in military operations in Homs in 2014, killed civilians, and was responsible for detaining and torturing numerous young men without cause or on fabricated charges.
CNN’s Clarissa Ward reported on the alleged rescue of the prisoner, saying that she was searching for traces of missing journalist Austin Tice when she found the man hiding under a blanket inside a locked cell at a prison building at the Syrian Air Force intelligence headquarters in Damascus. Ward said that the guard, who was a rebel fighter, made the CNN crew turn off the cameras while he shot the lock off the cell door.
The man appeared healthy and well-groomed, and Ward repeatedly told him he was “OK” as she offered him water while he clutched her arm. However, Verify-SY claims that the man’s appearance was inconsistent with his supposed treatment in prison, and that he was providing bogus information.
CNN has defended Ward’s reporting, but admits that the man may have given a false identity. The network has added a pinned comment to its YouTube video of the segment, stating that they are continuing to investigate the man’s background and the wider story.