CNN allegedly frees Syrian inmate who was member of Assad’s torture forces: Report

CNN has come under scrutiny after a fact-check revealed that a man freed from a Syrian prison in its recent report was allegedly a former member of Bashar al-Assad’s forces, implicated in torture, extortion, and harassment.

The network aired footage last week showing journalist Clarissa Ward and a camera crew helping free a man from a secret facility in Damascus. Ward described the scene as “one of the most extraordinary moments” in her reporting career.

The man identified himself as Adel Ghurbal, claiming he had been held by Assad’s regime for three months. However, an investigation by Verify-Sy, a local fact-checking group, found discrepancies in his account.

Verify-Sy reported that the man was actually Salama Mohammad Salama, a former first lieutenant in Assad’s air force intelligence. Salama, known locally as “Abu Hamza,” was accused of war crimes, including torture, extortion, and killing civilians during the Syrian civil war.

CNN acknowledged the allegations, saying, “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 original CNN report showed Ward entering a former Syrian air force intelligence building, escorted by a rebel fighter. The team found the man in a windowless cell, covered with a blanket. Salama claimed he was unaware of Assad’s regime collapse and gave no indication of his alleged history.

Verify-Sy questioned his appearance, noting he seemed “well-groomed and physically healthy” despite claiming to have been in solitary confinement without sunlight for 90 days. His lack of reaction to daylight also raised doubts about his story.

Further investigations revealed no records of anyone named Adel Ghurbal in the area. Local sources alleged that Salama had been detained for less than a month due to a financial dispute with a senior officer over extorted money.

CNN filmed the man being freed, given a meal, and later escorted away by emergency responders. The network denied any fabrication of the report. “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 said in a statement.

This is not the first time CNN has faced questions over its reporting. Last year, Clarissa Ward was accused of staging a report near the Israel-Gaza border. CNN dismissed the allegations, attributing the controversy to a doctored video that circulated online.