Documents obtained reveal shocking details about intelligence operations of ousted regime of Bashar al-Assad in Syria
Date
12/30/2024 6:06:54 AM
(MENAFN) Documents obtained and analyzed by the British newspaper Sunday Times have revealed shocking details about the intelligence operations of the ousted Regime of Bashar al-Assad in Syria. The investigation focused on the regime’s methods, including the interrogation of a 12-year-old child, and exposed the brutal nature of their intelligence network. The Sunday Times reported having accessed intelligence files from four government intelligence bases in Homs and thoroughly examined them. Their findings drew parallels between the Assad regime's tactics and the former East German Stasi, emphasizing the regime's extensive surveillance and record-keeping, even on those working for the government. These records were described as "incredibly comprehensive," involving phone taps, computer hacks, and direct monitoring of suspects, including mundane details like car repairs or family visits.
The documents also revealed that detainees were subjected to severe torture after being placed in solitary confinement. Rashid al-Abrash, a former detainee involved in collecting the documents, explained that a prisoner's sentence could vary based on the number of "terrorists" they could implicate in their confessions. One particularly disturbing revelation was the case of a 12-year-old boy who was interrogated after his teacher filed a complaint against him. The child had torn up a picture of the ousted president and thrown it in the trash. Despite claiming that he didn’t recognize the picture, the child underwent four days of interrogation before being released, though he still appeared in court. The documents offer further insight into the oppressive nature of the Assad regime's intelligence services, just as the political landscape in Syria is changing. On December 8, Syrian factions took control of Damascus, ending the 61-year rule of the Baath Party and the 53-year rule of the Assad family. Following this, Ahmed al-Shara, the commander of the new administration, appointed Muhammad al-Bashir to lead the government in forming a new transitional government.
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