A Syrian man initially thought to be a prisoner rescued by CNN has been revealed to be a former intelligence officer in the Bashar Al-Assad government, according to media reports.
Following a rapid and shock offensive against the 24-year regime earlier this month, opposition fighters liberated thousands of individuals from the network of prisons operated by the former government.
As the events unravelled a CNN report documenting the alleged rescue of the prisoner has faced significant criticism, causing CNN to reassess its claims, Al Jazeera reported.
The video, aired on Thursday, features CNN’s Clarissa Ward and her team, accompanied by an opposition fighter, reporting from a former secret prison in Damascus and encountering a “hidden prisoner.”
“I’m a civilian. I’m a civilian,” the man says in the footage, as he hides under a blanket with his hands raised.
The man, who identified himself as Adel Gharbal from Homs in the video, was later identified as Salama Mohammad Salama, according to Syrian fact-checking platform “Verify Sy” on Sunday, which was subsequently confirmed by CNN’s own investigation.
Salama told CNN he had been detained for three months after his phone was searched, and he was later moved to another facility in Damascus. However, Verify Sy reported that local residents said he had only been incarcerated for less than a month on charges related to extortion.
Journalist Ward stated in her report that she and her team were originally at the prison searching for US journalist Austin Tice, who went missing in 2012 after being abducted in Damascus while covering the uprising against Assad.
A community note attached to Ward’s post on X (formerly Twitter) now reads: “His real name is Salama Mohammad Salama. Known as ‘Abu Hamza,’ Salama is a first lieutenant in Syrian Air Force Intelligence, notorious for his role in Homs. Locals identified him as frequently stationed at a checkpoint at the western entrance of the area.”
Following the release of the report, many social media users questioned CNN’s coverage, with some accusing the outlet of staging the incident. One user pointed out Salama’s “perfectly manicured nails,” “clean clothes,” and overall well-groomed appearance, casting doubt on the authenticity of the video.
Since Monday’s clarification, calls for CNN to apologize for its initial reporting have grown.
In response, CNN stated it was unaware of Salama’s background and had been unable to contact him.