Female Syrian Operative Captured in Iraq: Syrian Intelligence Kidnapped My Daughter to Force Me to Go into Iraq

The following are excerpts from the interrogation of Dania Sam'an, a Syrian operative captured in Iraq. Al-Iraqiya TV aired this interrogation on March 30, 2005:

Interviewer: Your full name?

Dania Sam'an Alin: My name is Dania Sam'an Alin.

Interviewer: Your religion?

Dania Sam'an Alin: Christian.

Interviewer: Year of birth?

Dania Sam'an Alin: I was born in 1977.

Interviewer: Your nationality?

Dania Sam'an Alin: Syrian.

Interviewer: Where are you from?

Dania Sam'an Alin: Al-Ladhiqiya.

Interviewer: Where in Al-Ladhiqiya?

Dania Sam'an Alin: Al-Shati Al-Azraq.

Interviewer: Are you married?

Dania Sam'an Alin: Yes.

Interviewer: How many children do you have?

Dania Sam'an Alin: I have a daughter.

Interviewer: What's her name?

Dania Sam'an Alin: Nara.

Interviewer: Where is she now?

Dania Sam'an Alin: In Syria.

Interviewer: Where in Syria?

Dania Sam'an Alin: With 'Alaa.

Interviewer: 'Alaa what?

Dania Sam'an Alin: 'Alaa Al-Saleh.

Interviewer: What does 'Alaa do?

Dania Sam'an Alin: [He's with] Syrian Intelligence.

Interviewer: What is his rank?

Dania Sam'an Alin: Brigadier General.

Interviewer: Why is he holding your daughter?

Dania Sam'an Alin: He's holding my daughter to make me give him information.

Interviewer: Where will you get him the information from?

Dania Sam'an Alin: From Baghdad, Iraq.

Interviewer: How did 'Alaa find you?

Dania Sam'an Alin: I was sentenced in Syria.

Interviewer: On what charges?

Dania Sam'an Alin: Political charges.

Interviewer: For how long?

Dania Sam'an Alin: I was sentenced to a year and half.

Interviewer: Where did you serve your sentence?

Dania Sam'an Alin: I served it in 'Adra prison, in Damascus.

Interviewer: What did they train you to do?

Dania Sam'an Alin: He trained me to gather intelligence.

Interviewer: Where is your daughter now?

Dania Sam'an Alin: Brigadier General 'Alaa has her.

Interviewer: She is his hostage now?

Dania Sam'an Alin: Yes.

Interviewer: He used her to threaten you?

Dania Sam'an Alin: Yes, he did.

Interviewer: What did he tell you?

Dania Sam'an Alin: He told me that if I didn't bring him full information he would either murder my daughter or send her to me in pieces.

Interviewer: Do you know how to use the Internet?

Dania Sam'an Alin: Yes.

Interviewer: Do you know how to go into websites?

Dania Sam'an Alin: Yes.

Interviewer:

Interviewer: What is the Syrian Intelligence website?

Dania Sam'an Alin: The Al-Zahra Al-Bidhaa ["white flower"] website.

Interviewer: What information did you give to them?

Dania Sam'an Alin: I didn't give them anything yet.

Interviewer: How much money did they give you before you entered Iraq?

Dania Sam'an Alin: Four and a half Liras.

Interviewer: What?

Dania Sam'an Alin: $450.

Interviewer: American dollars?

Dania Sam'an Alin: Yes.

Interviewer: How long did they ask you to stay in Iraq?

Dania Sam'an Alin: They told me that when I run out of money, I should contact the Al-Zahra Al-Bidhaa website.

Interviewer: And he will send you more?

Dania Sam'an Alin: Yes.

Interviewer: From Syria?

Dania Sam'an Alin: Yes, from Syria.

Interviewer: Do you know the man who was supposed to bring you the money?

Dania Sam'an Alin: No, he would recognize me.

Interviewer: What do you have to say to the Syrian intelligence, who got you involved in this and sent you into Iraq?

Dania Sam'an Alin: That Allah takes revenge on them, especially on brother 'Alaa. If only… Even if she is dead… I want to see her.