A former Syrian military official, Samir Ousman al-Sheikh, has been arrested by U.S. Department of Homeland Security agents at Los Angeles International Airport. Al-Sheikh, 72, is facing charges of immigration fraud for allegedly denying on his U.S. visa and citizenship applications that he had persecuted individuals in Syria.
Al-Sheikh was in charge of Syria's Adra Prison from 2005 to 2008, a facility where human rights groups and United Nations officials have documented widespread abuses, including torture and arbitrary detention. Several former inmates have come forward, describing horrific acts of abuse, such as being hanged by their arms, beaten with electrical cables, and witnessing branding and broken backs.
