The Syrian Ministry of Interior has announced the arrest of former assistant commander in the intelligence apparatus of Bashar al-Assad's regime, Osama Mahmoud Hamouda, known by his alias 'Abu Alaa Jawi,' following an attempt to flee the country.
The ministry stated that the arrest was executed by specialized units who managed to detain him before he could exit Syrian territory.
Preliminary investigations indicate that the detainee was implicated in abuses against civilians during his tenure with the regime's security forces.
The Interior Ministry added that his security record includes accusations of leading groups responsible for arbitrary arrests and the detention of civilians, alongside fabricating malicious security reports against numerous citizens.
Furthermore, the ministry noted that the detainee is accused of conducting extensive financial extortion activities against residents over recent years.
It confirmed that the relevant authorities are continuing to complete investigations and legal procedures in preparation for referring him to the specialized judiciary to address the charges brought against him.