Assad's 'black box': Senior Syrian official escapes to Beirut under Hezbollah's protection

Ali Mamlouk, born in Damascus in 1949, comes from a family with deep regional roots, and is considered one of the most powerful and enigmatic figures in the Syrian regime.

By MAARIV DECEMBER 14, 2024 17:39

Protests against Ali Mamlouk. (photo credit: MOHAMED AZAKIR/REUTERS)

The alleged escape of Ali Mamlouk, a senior Syrian intelligence officer and confidant of former president Bashar al-Assad to Beirut has raised several questions in Lebanon, Lebanese newspaper Nidaa al-Watan reported in recent days. 

Nidaa al-Watan reported that Mamlouk is hiding at a luxury hotel in the southern suburbs of Beirut under Hezbollah’s protection rather than facing prosecution. This is despite him being wanted by Lebanese authorities for his involvement in the 2013 bombings of the Al-Taqwa and Al-Salam mosques in Tripoli.

Lebanon's caretaker Interior Minister, Bassam Mawlawi, denied the reports, stating, "According to the information from security agencies, Mamlouk is not in Lebanon and did not enter through legal border crossings." 

However, opposition figures in Lebanon, including MP Nadim Gemayel, are demanding a thorough investigation into the matter.

Mamlouk, born in Damascus in 1949, comes from a family with deep regional roots. His family originates from the Iskenderun region (now in Turkey) and has branches extending to Lebanon, Egypt, and Israel. 

A man walks on a poster of Bashar al-Assad as a sanitation worker removes it from the street downtown, after Syrian rebels announced that they have ousted Syria's Bashar al-Assad, in Damascus, Syria December 10, 2024. (credit: REUTERS/AMR ABDALLAH DALSH)

These family connections played a crucial role in helping him build a regional network throughout his career. Mamlouk is considered one of the most powerful and enigmatic figures in the Syrian regime and was nicknamed “the black box” due to his control over sensitive information.

Over four decades, Mamlouk amassed immense power within Syria’s security apparatus, starting with his role in air force intelligence. In the 1980s, he oversaw the regime’s chemical weapons program and experiments conducted in the infamous Tadmor Prison, where chemical agents were tested on political prisoners. 

Mamlouk tasked with suppressing Arab Spring protests 

In 2005, he was appointed head of general intelligence, and when protests broke out in 2011, he was tasked with suppressing them. Following a high-level bombing in Damascus in 2012, he was promoted to National Security Advisor.

Mamlouk’s involvement in Lebanon has been deep and complex. The 2013 mosque bombings in Tripoli, which killed dozens, are among the most serious accusations against him. According to the Lebanese investigation, two Syrian intelligence officers involved in the bombings—Mohammed Ali Ali from the “Palestine Branch” and Nasser Joban from the Political Security Branch—maintained close ties with Mamlouk’s office. 

Additionally, Mamlouk is accused of working with former Lebanese minister Michel Samaha, who was convicted of smuggling explosives from Syria to carry out attacks in Lebanon.

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Beyond Lebanon, Mamlouk is under strict US and European sanctions. In 2023, he was indicted in France for crimes against humanity, and the FBI is investigating his role in the torture and killing of an American-Syrian activist. If it is confirmed that Lebanon is granting him asylum, the country could face accusations of violating United Nations resolutions and international sanctions.

Despite the sanctions, Mamlouk continued to act as Assad’s covert emissary, conducting secret visits to various countries. His 2018 visit to Italy, despite European sanctions, and his involvement in negotiations with Turkey to promote normalization with Syria, underscore his ability to operate despite international restrictions.

Mamlouk’s relationship with Assad has not always been smooth. In 2015, the Daily Telegraph reported that Assad placed Mamlouk under house arrest on suspicion of plotting a coup against him. The report was so significant that Syria’s state news agency, SANA, issued an official denial, claiming that Mamlouk was “healthy and continuing his duties as usual.” Until the regime's downfall, Mamlouk remained a key advisor to Assad, with some referring to him as Assad’s shadow advisor.

Following the collapse of the Syrian regime, Mamlouk disappeared alongside other senior officials, including Maher al-Assad, the deposed president’s brother. Concerns in Lebanon are growing that the country may become a safe haven for senior Syrian regime officials under Hezbollah’s protection, a scenario that could lead to severe international sanctions.