US and Lebanon Protecting Wanted Syrian General, BBC Finds
BBC News
A former Syrian general wanted for crimes against humanity, Bassam al-Hassan, is being harboured in Lebanon following the Assad regime's collapse in 2024. An investigation by the BBC and NPR has revealed that he is being protected under an arrangement involving the FBI and other US and Lebanese authorities. This is due to his willingness to provide information about the abduction of American journalist Austin Tice in Syria in 2012, as well as other intelligence.
Last month, the BBC exposed Tice's abduction as a planned operation with Hassan in the chain of command. Officials from Syria's new government have called for Hassan's return to face trial, but US authorities prefer to keep him in Lebanon, a situation Damascus has limited control over.
We reached out to the FBI, CIA, and Lebanon's General Directorate of General Security for comment, with only the FBI responding, redirecting us to a previous statement on the Tice case.
In response to the findings, Phil Elwood, a spokesperson for the Tice family, stated:
"If what you are saying is true, the fact that our tax dollars are being used to furnish a comfortable life for someone associated with the use of chemical weapons on Syrian civilians, who claims to have had Austin Tice executed, is offensive... This is nothing less than aiding and abetting the escape of a wanted war criminal."
For more, listen to the BBC podcast: Where is Austin Tice?
As part of a broader investigation, the BBC reviewed a meeting transcript between Hassan, FBI/CIA representatives, and Lebanese security officials, where Tice's case was discussed. Hassan was offered "residency," "protection," and financial support in exchange for intelligence. Sources confirmed this arrangement, adding that money is funneled to Hassan through intermediaries, making it difficult to track. Despite the deal, sources noted little progress in the Tice investigation.