Bombshell pic that PROVED viral Syrian ‘prisoner’ rescued by CNN was ruthless Assad officer who ran extortion racket
A BOMBSHELL image of the viral Syrian "prisoner" discovered by CNN crew proves he was actually one of Assad's ruthless officers.
The bogus inmate was found trembling under a blanket before being freed by the team, exclaiming: "Oh God, there is light."
The man named himself to CNN's Clarissa Ward as Adel Gharbal, a father from Homs.
But, following claims by the fact-checking site Verify-Sy that he could be one of Assad's puppets, CNN launched an investigation into the man's identity.
The broadcaster soon confirmed that the man was not called Adel Gharbals - but Salama Mohammad Salama.
Salama "was known by locals for running the Air Force Intelligence Directorate's checkpoints" and was accused of "having a reputation for extortion and harassment," said.
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A bombshell image was reportedly provided by locals to the CNN and Verify-Sy of Salama pulling a devious smirk behind a desk in what looks to be a government office wearing military uniform.
The groundbreaking picture was fact-checked with facial recognition software which found the evil officer was a 99 per cent match with the "inmate" from the rescue.
CNN said his whereabouts are currently unknown.
When reports first arose that the inmate was actually Salama, Verify-Sy said the officer brutally killed civilians and was responsible for detaining and torturing young men in the city on fabricated charges, citing locals as their sources.
Verify-Sy added: "Many were targeted simply for refusing to pay bribes, rejecting cooperation or even for arbitrary reasons like their appearance."
They also accused the officer of involvement in "theft, extortion and coercing residents into becoming informants," adding that he participated in military operations on various fronts in Homs in 2014.
"The events transpired as they appear in our film.
"The decision to release the prisoner featured in our report was taken by the guard - a Syrian rebel.
"We reported the scene as it unfolded, including what the prisoner told us, with clear attribution."
They added that it was being investigated, leading to today's bombshell discovery.
One of the biggest rebel operations after overthrowing Assad saw fighters liberate the harrowing Sednaya Military Prison - nicknamed the Human Slaughterhouse.
Haunting images from Sednaya show massive piles of clothes and shoes hidden away in a secret compartment.
Horrific footage also revealed piles of dead bodies in the dungeons of the hellhole site.
The bodies were taken to Al-Mujtahid Hospital as teams carried out an investigation into the secret areas of the prison.
RAPE, TORTURE AND DEATH
Some held at Sednaya say they were raped, and in some cases, forced to rape other inmates.
Floors of cells were coated in blood from tortured prisoners, according to a 2017 Amnesty report, with the bodies of dead inmates collected like rubbish at 9am each morning by guards.
Detainees were also made to follow horrific rules while being deprived basic necessities like food, water and medicine.
When food would be delivered it would often be cruelly scattered across cell floors by guards with a mixture of blood and dirt.
A human iron press was even discovered that was allegedly used to crush prisoners to death in Sednaya.
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Rebels also found dozens of red rope nooses used for mass hangings in an execution room.
Other disturbing accounts say the mass hangings occurred once or twice a week on a Monday and Wednesday - chillingly in the middle of the night.
What is Sednaya Prison?
By Annabel Bate, Foreign News Reporter
SEDNAYA Prison - otherwise known as the Human Slaughterhouse - was a military prison near Damascus, Syria.
Operated by the government of Syrian Arab Republic, the hellhole prison was used to hold thousands of inmates that were civilian detainees, anti-government rebels and political prisoners.
The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights (SOHR) estimated in January 2021 that an overwhelming 30,000 detainees were horrifically executed under the Assad regime in Sednaya.
Guards would use torture as a killing technique, as well as have mass executions.
Some held at the horrific prison of Sednaya say they were raped, and in some cases, forced to rape other inmates.
A regular form of punishment was some kind of torture and sever beatings from guards, it's claimed, which led to individuals suffering life-changing damage like disabilities or death.
Floors of cells were coated in blood and pus from tortured prisoners, according to a 2017 Amnesty report, with the bodies of dead prisoners collected like rubbish at 9am each morning by guards.
Detainees were also forced to follow horrific rules as they were forced as they were deprived the basic necessities of food, water and medicine.
When food would be delivered it would often be cruelly scattered across cell floors by guards with a mixture of blood and dirt.
Other disturbing accounts say the mass hangings occurred once or twice a week on a Monday and Wednesday - chillingly in the middle of the night.
The unbelievable practices, which human rights groups say amount to war crimes and crimes against humanity, were authorised at the highest level of the Syrian government under Assad.