US and Lebanon protecting wanted Syrian general, BBC finds

A former Syrian general accused of war crimes, Bassam al-Hassan, appears to be shielded by the US and Lebanese governments, according to a BBC investigation. The Lebanon-born al-Hassan, who was instrumental in overseeing Syria's chemical weapons program and served as a senior adviser to the late President Bashar al-Assad, is reportedly granted residency, protection, and living expenses in Lebanon in exchange for intelligence, primarily pertaining to the abduction of American journalist Austin Tice in 2012.

A source familiar with the arrangement revealed that Hassan receives funds through an intermediary, making it challenging to trace his financial transactions. Despite al-Hassan being sanctioned by the US government, there's little evidence suggesting that the information he has provided to US authorities has significantly advanced the search for Tice.

Lebanese intelligence officials have admitted to engaging in similar arrangements with other Syrian regime members in exchange for financial assistance or support abroad. However, there is no concrete proof of these payments being made in connection with the Tice case. The investigation also uncovered that Hassan initially fled to Iran after the Assad regime's collapse but was later brought to Lebanon through negotiations involving the US, Lebanon, and Iran.

The businessman responsible for orchestrating the transfer stated that al-Hassan was valuable due to his knowledge of Syria's chemical weapons program and its military ties with Iran, which piqued US intelligence's interest.