A joint investigation by the British public broadcaster BBC and the US-based NPR revealed the claim that former General Bassam al-Hasan, one of the senior advisors of Syria's deposed leader Bashar Assad, was living under the protection of the US and Lebanese authorities.
It was stated that al-Hasan, who oversaw Syria's chemical weapons program during the Assad period and was wanted for crimes against humanity, settled in Lebanon after the overthrow of the administration in December 2024.
According to the BBC's investigation, the former general was allowed to stay in Lebanon in exchange for agreeing to provide information about American journalist Austin Tice, who was kidnapped in Syria in 2012.
It was claimed that the arrangement in question was carried out with the knowledge of the US Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), other American intelligence agencies and Lebanese officials.
CLAIM OF PROTECTION AND FINANCIAL SUPPORT FROM THE USA
As part of the investigation, the BBC examined detailed records of a meeting held by al-Hasan with the FBI, CIA and Lebanese security officials.
According to records, the former general was offered a residence permit, protection and living expenses in exchange for providing information regarding the fate of Austin Tice.
Sources with knowledge of the agreement claimed that al-Hasan received money from US authorities through intermediaries. It was stated that making payments using this method makes it difficult to monitor money transfers.
It is estimated that the agreement with al-Hasan, who is on the US sanctions list, was made in the spring of 2025.
However, sources close to the investigation stated that the information provided by the former general did not provide any significant progress in the efforts to find Tice.
Sources expressed concern that the regulation, which has not yielded concrete results despite its high cost, may continue for an indefinite period.
DAMASCUS ADMINISTRATION WANTS HIS EXTRADITION
Speaking to the BBC, officials from two different institutions in the HTS-controlled Damascus administration stated that they requested al-Hasan to be extradited to the country and tried.
Officials claimed that the USA wanted the former general to stay in Lebanon, and that the Damascus administration had limited opportunities to change this situation.
Austin Tice's family also reacted to the allegations made in the investigation.
Phil Elwood, the family's spokesman, said if the allegations were true, it would be unacceptable for American taxpayers' money to support a person linked to the use of chemical weapons against Syrian civilians.
Elwood argued that this would amount to helping a person wanted for war crimes escape justice.
Stating that the Syrian people's demand for justice must be met, Elwood requested that al-Hasan be sent to his country for trial.
THE FATE OF THE MISSING JOURNALIST IS STILL UNCERTAIN
American journalist Austin Tice was kidnapped in Syria in 2012. Despite the passing years, the fate of the journalist could not be determined with certainty.
In the research previously published by the BBC, it was claimed that Tice's kidnapping was planned in advance and that al-Hasan was in the chain of command of the operation.
It was stated that in Al-Hasan's statement to US investigators last year, he claimed that the journalist was killed on the instructions of Bashar Assad.
The former general also showed a place where Tice's body could be found. However, no remains were found during the searches carried out in the area.
Some sources close to the investigation stated that this situation raises doubts about the reliability of the information provided by al-Hasan.
On the other hand, two sources with knowledge of the exploration work claimed that the US authorities stopped the work before the excavation was completed due to security concerns.
IT WAS ALLEGED THAT MONEY WAS ALSO PAID TO FORMER ADMINISTRATION OFFICIALS
According to the BBC's investigation, some former Syrian administration officials linked to the Austin Tice investigation also received financial support or protection from US authorities.
A former member of the administration said he received payments from the FBI more than once for information he gave about the journalist's disappearance.
The person in question stated that it was not in his interest to share all the information at once in order to ensure that payments continue.
Another former administration official claimed that he was living in Lebanon under the protection of US authorities.
A former senior Lebanese intelligence official also confirmed to the BBC that US and Lebanese intelligence agencies were able to make such payment arrangements in joint investigations. However, Austin stated that he had no information about the payments made within the scope of the Tice investigation.
US INTEREST IN CHEMICAL WEAPONS PROGRAM
In the investigation, it was claimed that al-Hasan first fled to Iran after the overthrow of the Assad administration and was then brought to Lebanon.
A businessman with close connections to the former Syrian administration and Lebanese authorities claimed that negotiations involving the USA, Lebanon and Iran were held for al-Hasan's transition to Lebanon.
According to the source, al-Hasan had important information not only about the kidnapping of Austin Tice, but also about Syria's chemical weapons program and military relations with Iran.
It was claimed that US intelligence also wanted to benefit from the former general's knowledge on these issues.
Reached by the BBC by phone last year, al-Hasan did not directly respond to an interview request. The former general said that journalists had to get permission from FBI and CIA officials at the US Embassy in Beirut to meet him.
FORMER ASSAD OFFICIALS IN LEBANON AND UAE
In the BBC's investigation, it was stated that other former Syrian administration officials allegedly linked to the kidnapping and detention of Austin Tice also live outside the country.
It is considered that Muhammed Makhlouf, who works under Al-Hasan and is alleged to be connected to the process in which Tice was detained, is in Lebanon.
It was stated that Sakr Rustem, Al-Hasan's nephew and alleged to have been involved in the kidnapping of the journalist, was traveling between the United Arab Emirates (UAE) and Lebanon.
Reached by the BBC, Rüstem said that he preferred to focus on the future rather than answering questions about Austin Tice.
It has been claimed that Ghassan Nassur, one of the former Syrian Republican Guard generals, lives in the UAE with his family.
Former members of the National Defense Forces claimed that Nassur was responsible for the prison where Austin Tice was held.
