CNN aired a high-profile report last week in which journalist Clarissa Ward ostensibly discovered a “forgotten prisoner” languishing in a windowless cell in Syria. The man was arrested by dictator Bashar al-Assad three weeks ago and later claimed he had no knowledge that Assad's regime had been overthrown by rebels. On Sunday, an independent news agency claimed that CNN's celebrity prisoner was actually a Syrian intelligence agent who tried to trick the network into giving him favorable media coverage.
Ward, CNN's chief international correspondent, saw a “prisoner” crouched under a blanket as he entered the Syrian Air Force intelligence headquarters in Damascus, accompanied by rebel fighters who were searching the facility. discovered. Rebel fighters dramatically shot out the lock on the prison door.
The seemingly abandoned prisoner they discovered said His name was Adel Gulbal. He claimed he was arrested three months ago and left in a windowless cell when the intelligence facility was abandoned. He said he had been without food or water for three days after the victorious rebels entered Damascus and forced Assad into exile.
Ward dramatically led the prisoner to freedom, repeating soothingly, “It's okay, it's okay.” She later described the encounter as “one of the most extraordinary moments I have witnessed” in her 20-year career as a journalist.
“We were trying to write a story about the tens of thousands of Syrians who disappeared into Assad's dungeons, and specifically about one American journalist who 'disappeared', Austin Tice,” Ward said. . explained.
I disagree with the evaluation CNN pushed a video clip of Ward freeing the prisoners to social media, hoping to create a viral sensation. Other CNN employees claimed the story as a landmark achievement in journalism, frequently echoing Ward's own description of the story as “extraordinary.”
The network's social media campaign quickly encountered backlash from wary viewers who said some details of the story didn't add up.
The Syrian independent news platform Verify-SY reported on Sunday. called CNN's report was a hoax and the “prisoner” was identified as a Syrian Air Force intelligence officer named Salama Mohammad Salama, also known as “Abu Hamza.”
Verify-Sy described Salama as a “notorious” operative of the Assad regime who “managed several security checkpoints in Homs and was involved in theft, extortion, and coercion of informants against residents.” Ta.
Salama's activities included the killing and torture of civilians, some of whom were arrested “without cause or on trumped-up charges.” Some of his victims were “targeted simply for refusing to pay bribes or cooperating, or for arbitrary reasons such as their appearance.”
Sources in Homs say Salama was recently arrested, but it was “due to a dispute with a senior official over the distribution of profits from extorted funds.” These sources suggest that Salama posed as a prisoner in Damascus and staged the rescue on CNN to “gather sympathy” after the fall of the regime he served.
Verify-Sy criticized CNN for sloppy journalism at best, noting that the network did not do shoe-leather reporting to verify Salama's identity before making it public.
The independent platform also noted that CNN noted the man's surprisingly strong appearance for a man who reportedly went without food or water for three days, and how he seemed weak and frightened at times, forgetting to act. He also said he missed some obvious clues that Salama wasn't at that level. We're talking to Ward and her camera crew.
What's more, this “prisoner” allegedly spent more than 72 hours in a windowless cell, yet did not blink when walking in bright daylight, spending a total of 90 days in the hands of a notorious prisoner. However, there were no signs of abuse or torture. The brutal Syrian intelligence service.
“As Syrians first and journalists second, we have to ask: Did CNN deliberately mislead its viewers to restore Abu Hamza’s image, or did it accidentally If the latter, then especially since Syrians have been able to expose crimes and violations that the rest of the world failed to document for decades. , what led the network to this mistake? ” asked Verify-Sy.
CNN quickly went into damage control mode as a huge online scoop turned into a huge embarrassment. On Sunday, CNN said: “We have since investigated his background and are aware that he may have provided a false identity.”
“No one other than the CNN team knew of our plans to visit the prison buildings featured in the news coverage that day. Events occurred exactly as they appear in our film.” CNN said said in a statement regarding the controversy.
“The decision to release the prisoners covered in our report was taken by Syrian rebel guards. We are following developments on the ground, including what the prisoners have told us. Reported with clear source.He network insisted.
