Syria: Former prison head charged with torture in US

Samir Ousman Alsheikh is accused of torturing and ordering the torture of prisoners at Adra Prison.

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Samir Ousman Alsheikh, who oversaw the Damascus Central Prison between 2005 and 2008, was charged by a federal grand jury with several counts of torture and conspiracy to commit torture.

US authorities said the allegations against Alsheikh were "chilling".

He was arrested earlier this year at Los Angeles International Airport (LAX) on two immigration fraud charges, and had purchased a one-way ticket from LAX to Beirut, Lebanon.

According to a statement from the US Attorney's Office, Central District of California, Alsheikh concealed his employment at the prison and denied persecuting anyone in his US visa and citizenship applications.

https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/cwypnql4z3eo

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