CNN admits: ‘Prisoner’ turned out to be Assad regime agent
A man filmed by CNN International being released from Damascus’ infamous Sednaya prison, who claimed to be a victim of the Assad regime, has been identified as Salama Mohammad Salama, a former regime intelligence officer. The controversy was acknowledged by CNN on Monday.
Local residents and facial recognition software confirmed his identity, revealing he was a lieutenant in the Syrian regime’s Air Force Intelligence Directorate.
What happened
On December 12, CNN published a report titled, “CNN witnesses man moment is freed from prison by Syrian rebels.” In the footage, CNN’s reporter, Clarissa Ward, and her camera crew conveniently stumble upon a man being released from a Damascus prison.
CNN first falsely reported on the individual being Adel Ghurbal from Homs, who appeared bewildered and claimed he had been imprisoned for three months. The individual was shown under a blanket, stating that he had been transferred to the facility shortly before the regime’s downfall.
Yet it appears that a false narrative was provided to audiences and Salama’s current whereabouts remain unknown, adding another layer of mystery to the entire situation.