Former Syrian Air Force Intelligence officer Jamil Hassan, 72, has been charged with war crimes in connection with the Syrian civil war. According to an indictment unsealed in the Northern District of Illinois, Hassan oversaw a network of detention facilities, including the Mezzeh Prison in Damascus, where civilians, including U.S. citizens, were subjected to cruel and inhumane treatment.
The indictment alleges that Hassan, along with co-defendant Abdul Salam Mahmoud, 65, engaged in a conspiracy to commit war crimes through the infliction of cruel and inhuman treatment on detainees under their control. The victims allegedly suffered physical abuse, including being whipped, kicked, electrocuted, and burned.
The indictment also alleges that Hassan and Mahmoud threatened the victims with rape and death, and falsely told them that their family members had been killed. The indictment charges Hassan and Mahmoud with conspiracy to commit war crimes, which carries a maximum penalty of life in prison.
Attorney General Merrick B. Garland said, “The perpetrators of the Assad regime’s atrocities against American citizens and other civilians during the Syrian civil war must answer for their heinous crimes.”
Deputy Attorney General Lisa Monaco added, “The Assad regime may have fallen, but our commitment to accountability continues unabated.”
The FBI is working with law enforcement partners around the world to ensure that Hassan and Mahmoud are held accountable for their actions. The indictment is the second brought under the U.S. War Crimes statute.
A copy of the indictment can be found here.
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Key Facts
- State: Illinois
- Category: Violent Crime
- Source: DOJ Press Release â†â€â€
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