The Viral “Prisoner” Who Claimed to be a Civilian Was Actually a Brutal Torturer Under the Assad Regime
A Syrian fact-checking site has revealed that the “prisoner” who was rescued by a CNN news crew and claimed to be a civilian was actually one of Bashar al-Assad’s most brutal torturers. The man, who identified himself as Adel Gharbal, was found trembling under a blanket in a cell and was freed by the CNN team.
However, fact-checking site Verify-Sy discovered that Gharbal’s story was inconsistent and that he did not show any signs of physical abuse or trauma, despite claiming to have been held in solitary confinement for three months. He was also found to be clean and well-groomed, with no visible injuries or signs of torture.
Further investigation revealed that Gharbal was actually Salama Mohammad Salama, also known as Abu Hamza, a former first lieutenant in the Syrian Air Force Intelligence who was known for his brutal tactics. He was accused of involvement in theft, extortion, and coercing residents into becoming informants, and was responsible for detaining and torturing young men in the city of Homs.
Residents of Homs claimed that Gharbal was involved in the brutal treatment of civilians, including the use of torture and forced confessions. He was also accused of killing civilians and participating in military operations on various fronts in Homs in 2014.
After the fall of the Assad regime, Gharbal allegedly tried to gain sympathy by claiming he was “forced” into committing his crimes, and even deactivated his social media accounts and changed his phone number to erase any evidence of his involvement.
The CNN team that rescued Gharbal claimed that their portrayal of the event was authentic, but acknowledged that the prisoner may have given a fake name. The team has since been investigating Gharbal’s background and are aware that he may have given a false identity.
