Facts
Abdul Salam Mahmoud, Brigadier General in Syrian Air Force Intelligence and Jamil Hassan, former Director of Syrian Air Force Intelligence, are accused of war crimes committed during the Syrian civil war, between January 2012 and July 2019. These crimes occurred at Mezzeh Military Airport, also known as Mezzeh Prison, near Damascus, Syria. Victims of these atrocities included civilians, political dissidents, and U.S. citizens detained on suspicions of aiding or supporting opponents of the Assad regime.
The alleged acts of cruelty involved beatings, electrocution, removal of toenails, acid burns, suspension by the wrists, forcing detainees to listen to the screams of other tortured prisoners, and using dead bodies to instill terror. Detainees were also deprived of adequate food, water, and medical care and faced threats of sexual assault and murder against their family members.
Procedure
On 9 December 2024, an indictment was unsealed in the Northern District of Illinois formally charging Abdul Salam Mahmoud and Jamil Hassan with war crimes and conspiracy to commit cruel and inhuman treatment of civilian detainees, including U.S. citizens. Arrest warrants for both suspects have been issued.
In May 2024, Hassan and Mahmoud were convicted in absentia of crimes against humanity and war crimes in France.