A former Syrian general wanted for crimes against humanity is being bankrolled and protected by US and Lebanese authorities, a BBC investigation has found.
Bassam al‑Hassan, who oversaw Syria’s chemical weapons programme and served as a senior adviser to former President Bashar al‑Assad, is believed to be sheltered in Lebanon since the regime’s collapse in 2024.
The BBC and NPR discovered that al‑Hassan has a protected residence in Lebanon under an arrangement that involves the FBI, CIA and Lebanese security services. The arrangement is said to hinge on the general’s willingness to supply intelligence about the 2012 abduction of U.S. journalist Austin Tice.
Last month the BBC revealed that Tice’s kidnapping had been a planned operation, with al‑Hassan in the chain of command.
Syrian officials now wish to see al‑Hassan brought back to face trial, but US authorities argue that Lebanon provides a safe haven where he can continue to provide valuable intelligence.
The FBI declined to comment beyond a previously issued statement emphasizing its focus on the facts around the Tice case and securing his return.
Phil Elwood, spokesman for the Tice family, condemned the use of tax revenue to support a man who allegedly helped run chemical weapons: “This is nothing less than aiding and abetting the escape of a wanted war criminal.”
Other Syrian regime officials linked to the Tice case, including former general Mohammad Makhlouf and former Republican Guard officer Ghassan Nassour, are believed to be living abroad in Lebanon or the UAE, using similar protection arrangements.
