The U.S. network CNN published a video report on its website, YouTube channel, and X platform under the title: “CNN Correspondent Captures a Shocking Moment of Finding a Prisoner in a Secret Syrian Jail Unaware of Assad’s Downfall.”
The report features CNN correspondent Clarissa Ward, accompanied by an armed individual, as they open one of the cells in a Damascus prison.
Fabricated Narrative and Questionable Details
The video introduces a man named Adel Ghribal, allegedly from Homs, who claimed he was arrested from his home three months ago for a phone inspection. He stated that he was initially held in an unnamed prison before being transferred to the current location, where he was found three days after the fall of the Assad regime.
However, despite claiming he had been detained in a dark solitary cell for 90 days, the prisoner’s appearance raised serious doubts:
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- His clothes were clean, his hair neatly groomed, and he showed no signs of physical abuse or malnutrition, contradicting known conditions in secret Syrian prisons.
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- When freed, he looked up at the daylight with ease and without flinching, unusual for someone who had allegedly not seen light for months.
Inconsistencies and Investigations
Clarissa Ward, who was reportedly searching for traces of missing American journalist Austin Tice, stirred viewer skepticism regarding the empty prison with only one detainee, “Adel Ghribal.”
Further analysis by the fact-checking team at “Tayakkad” revealed the prisoner’s true identity:
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- His real name is Salama Mohammad Salama, a First Assistant Officer in the Air Force Intelligence Branch, one of the most notorious security agencies under the Assad regime.
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- Residents of Al-Bayadah district in Homs know him as “Abu Hamza”, notorious for his role in operating checkpoints, extorting civilians, and forcibly recruiting informants.
A Record of Crimes and Abuse
Despite his calm demeanor, Salama has a documented history of war crimes:
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- In 2014, he participated in military operations in Homs, where numerous civilians were killed.
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- He was known for arbitrarily detaining, torturing, and blackmailing young men, often accusing them of false crimes if they refused to pay bribes or cooperate.
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- Survivors and families of the victims recounted that Salama would target individuals for no apparent reason, often driven by personal whims.
Salama’s recent imprisonment was reportedly due to a dispute with a higher-ranking officer over profits from extorted funds. His detention lasted less than a month before CNN’s staged “discovery” in Damascus.
Following the report’s release, Salama deactivated his social media accounts and changed his phone number in an attempt to erase evidence of his involvement in war crimes and armed activities.
Clarissa Ward’s Controversial History
This incident is not Clarissa Ward’s first controversy. She previously faced backlash after appearing in a staged video where a director instructed her to look “frightened and uneasy” while reporting from occupied Palestinian territories during the early days of Operation Al-Aqsa Flood.
Ward’s fabricated narratives have drawn widespread criticism. Egyptian journalist Rahma Zain openly rebuked Ward’s conduct, stating:
“I understand that you represent your government and its policies that claim to support freedom of speech, but you interpret democracy only according to your own interests. You manipulate principles to align with your agenda. Now we are witnessing the results of your occupation and the consequences of your Zionism and misrepresentation of Arabs.”
