A local fact-checker platform has alleged that the prisoner CNN rescued from a secret facility in Syria is a notorious member of former President Bashar al-Assad’s forces, known for torturing individuals who refused to pay bribes.
Last week, CNN aired a dramatic report featuring journalist Clarissa Ward leading a prisoner out of a secret facility in Syria. The report, which went viral, captured Ward describing the moment as “one of the most extraordinary” of her two-decade career.
The report centered on Ward and her camera crew visiting a former Syrian air force intelligence facility in Damascus. Accompanied by a rebel fighter, they discovered a man locked in a windowless cell, covered by a blanket. The man, identifying himself as Adel Ghurbal, claimed he had been detained by government forces three months earlier and was unaware that the Assad regime had fallen.
However, according to the New York Post, “independent and unbiased” fact-checkers Verify-Sy disputed his account. The organization noted on Sunday inconsistencies in his appearance and behavior, pointing out that he appeared “well-groomed and physically healthy,” with no visible injuries or signs of torture.
They also questioned how someone who allegedly had not seen sunlight in 90 days could look directly at the sky without flinching or blinking.
Their investigation uncovered no record of anyone named Adel Ghurbal in the region, ultimately leading them to identify the man as Salama Mohammad Salama, also known as “Abu Hamza.” Salama, a first lieutenant in Syria’s air force intelligence, is accused of a series of war crimes.
Local residents who spoke to Verify-Sy reported that Salama had operated at multiple security checkpoints in Homs, where he was involved in theft, extortion, and coercing individuals into becoming informants for the Assad regime.
During the Syrian civil war in 2014, he reportedly killed civilians and detained and tortured young men on false charges. Many victims were reportedly targeted for refusing to pay bribes.
Salama’s criminal activities also led to his brief imprisonment. According to local accounts, he was detained for less than a month after a dispute with a high-ranking officer over the division of extorted money. Despite his history, Salama was freed during the CNN team’s visit, given food and later handed over to emergency medical technicians.
CNN responded to the allegations with a statement, saying they were unaware of Salama’s true identity at the time of filming.
“We have subsequently been investigating his background and are aware that he may have given a false identity. We are continuing our reporting into this and the wider story,” the network told The Post.
The network also denied claims that the report was staged.
“No one other than the CNN team was aware of our plans to visit the prison building featured in our report that day. The events transpired as they appear in our film,” CNN stated.
Syria is undergoing a period of major turmoil as rebel forces have successfully dismantled the government of Assad, resulting in him fleeing to Russia, bringing an end to more than 50 years of Baath Party control, according to Human Rights Watch.
