Former Syrian Air Force Officer Discloses Details of 1980s Coup Plot and Alleged Prison Experiments

A former Syrian Air Force officer has stepped forward with detailed accounts of a failed coup conspiracy from Syria's recent past, along with troubling allegations regarding treatment of political prisoners during that era.

Abdul Ghani Qassas made his revelations during an appearance on "The Syrian Story" program broadcast on Syrian News channel, providing an insider's perspective on events that shaped modern Syrian history. According to his testimony, the coup plot spanned from 1979 to 1982 and involved dozens of Air Force officers, predominantly stationed in Damascus.

Qassas identified Brigadier General Nazir Al-Saqqa as a central figure in organizing the conspiracy. He explained that the operation was ultimately compromised through informants, triggering a sweeping arrest campaign that ensnared all those involved. Those detained faced intensive interrogations conducted by Air Force Intelligence personnel.

The most disturbing portion of Qassas's account concerns allegations of chemical weapons testing on political prisoners. He described a process whereby detainees were transferred from holding facilities to Mezzeh Military Airport, where they underwent medical evaluations under the pretense of impending release. The prisoners were then moved to the Abu Al-Shamat area, where some were confined to underground trenches while others were placed in sealed chambers.

According to Qassas, these individuals were subsequently exposed to chemical gases to observe the effects. In one particularly severe incident, he stated that five prisoners confined in a sealed room were exposed to Sarin nerve gas, which allegedly caused auditory and visual disturbances severe enough to prompt self-harm and violence among the group.

Qassas named several high-ranking security officials as having overseen these experiments, including Ali Mamlouk, Ibrahim Hawija, and Muhammad Al-Khouli, who he said monitored proceedings from outside the chamber.

Regarding his own experience, Qassas recounted being arrested and subjected to torture during interrogation. He was subsequently transferred to Saydnaya prison, where he remained incarcerated for approximately 17 years until his release in 1999.

The emergence of this testimony reflects an ongoing process of historical documentation concerning Syria's treatment of political opponents over recent decades.