US charges former Syria prison chief, who oversaw abuse, with immigration fraud

The United States has brought criminal charges against the former head of a notorious Syrian prison accused of lying about his past in an attempt to secure US citizenship, according to US prosecutors.

Samir Ousman Al-Sheikh, 72, oversaw severe physical abuse of inmates while head of the Adra prison from 2005 until 2010, according to an indictment unsealed on Thursday in federal court in Los Angeles.

Al-Sheikh, an alleged associate of the younger brother of Syrian regime leader Bashar al-Assad, had been living in South Carolina when he was arrested last month after purchasing a one-way ticket on a flight to Beirut, according to court documents.

A federal judge has ordered him detained, court records show. An attorney for Al-Sheikh could not immediately be reached for comment.

Al-Sheikh, who achieved the rank of brigadier general while working in the Syrian police and domestic intelligence agency, oversaw hangings and brutal beatings while head of the Adra prison, according to a criminal complaint that cited US law enforcement interviews with former inmates.

The prison, located in a Damascus suburb, housed political dissidents and others accused of crimes. His time at the prison pre-dated the Syrian civil war when armed rebel groups sought to depose the Assad-led regime.

Al-Sheikh was later appointed by Assad as governor of the Deir Ez-Zor province in eastern Syria.

The indictment alleges Al-Sheikh made false statements concealing his role at the prison, political persecution of dissidents and association with Syria's ruling Ba’ath Party when he applied for a US visa in 2020 and again when seeking citizenship in 2023.

Al-Sheikh was able to secure a green card, making him a lawful permanent US resident, in 2020.

He was charged with attempted naturalisation fraud and obtaining a green card through false statements. Al-Sheikh has not yet entered a plea and is scheduled to make his next court appearance on August 16.