Beirut is facing mounting pressure from both France and Syria to apprehend Jamil Hassan, the former head of Syrian Air Force Intelligence. Hassan stands accused of war crimes and is considered a key architect of the brutal crackdown orchestrated by the regime of ousted Syrian President Bashar al-Assad following the 2011 uprisings.
Reports suggest that Hassan is believed to be residing within Lebanese territory. According to sources, both Paris and Damascus have formally requested Beirut to arrest Hassan. He has been convicted in absentia in France for his role in crimes against humanity. Furthermore, he is subject to an arrest warrant in Germany and is wanted by the FBI for his alleged involvement in the kidnapping and torture of American citizens.
A high-ranking Lebanese judicial official reportedly stated that the Lebanese government lacks concrete information regarding Hassan’s whereabouts. He allegedly fled Syria after the fall of the Assad regime on December 8, 2024. While his current location remains unknown, numerous current and former Syrian and Western officials suspect he is hiding in Lebanon, where former intelligence officers from the regime are reportedly rebuilding a support network.
The Air Force Intelligence Directorate, during the Assad family’s rule, was widely regarded as the most ruthless and secretive among Syria’s four main intelligence agencies. Hassan assumed leadership of the agency in 2009.
According to security documents, Hassan convened with other security chiefs in Damascus to devise a campaign of misinformation and violent suppression following the outbreak of the Syrian revolution in 2011. The plan, outlined in a document initialed by the participants, was reportedly shown to journalists by a former Syrian security official and confirmed by another source.
The documents suggest that Hassan advocated for the use of overwhelming and bloody force against protesters and dissidents, reportedly urging Assad to emulate his father’s actions in Hama, a reference to the brutal massacre carried out by Hafez al-Assad that resulted in the deaths of tens of thousands.
