Man charged with crimes against humanity after CTP investigation

Following an investigation by Counter Terrorism Policing’s War Crimes Unit, a former Syrian colonel has been charged with crimes against humanity.

The man is a Syrian national who now lives in Buckinghamshire.

Salem Al-Salem has been charged with a Postal Charge Requisition in relation to international crimes allegedly committed in Syria. He has been charged in relation to his time working in the Syrian Air Force Intelligence (AFI) in Damascus.

Al-Salem has been charged with three three counts of murder as a crime against humanity (CAH), three counts of torture, and one offence of conduct ancillary to murder as a CAH.

He appeared at Westminster Magistrates’ Court on Tuesday, 10 March and is next due to appear at the Old Bailey on 13 March.

The charges relate to demonstrations which took place in the suburbs of Damascus, Syria, from April 2011. It is alleged that in his role Al-Salem led a group tasked with quelling the demonstrations in the Jobar area which lies east of the city’s centre.

The CTP War Crimes Team received a referral in November 2020 relating to allegations about an individual who served as a member of the Syrian armed forces during the early 2010s.

On 1 December 2021, officers from the Metropolitan Police’s War Crimes Team visited an address in Buckinghamshire. A man in his 50s was arrested on suspicion of being involved in crimes against humanity and a search was also carried out at the address.

Commander Helen Flanagan, who leads CTP London said:“This has been an incredibly complex and challenging investigation, involving enquiries across many countries.

“This has required close cooperation with a number of international partners, as well as our colleagues in the CPS.

“The charges are extremely serious and show that we fully support the UK’s ‘no safe haven’ policy in relation alleged war criminals. Where we are presented with allegations of war crimes and crimes against humanity that fall within our jurisdiction, then, as we have shown here, we will not hesitate to investigate those rigorously and robustly.”

Bethan David, Head of the Crown Prosecution Service’s Counter Terrorism Division, said: “We have determined that a 58-year-old man should be prosecuted with charges of murder as a crime against humanity, and torture.

“Our prosecutors have concluded that there is sufficient evidence to bring seven offences under the International Criminal Court Act 2001 and the Criminal Justice Act 1988.

“We have worked closely with the War Crimes Team at the Metropolitan Police Service as they carried out their investigation.

“As always, we remind all concerned that proceedings against this defendant are active and that he has a right to a fair trial.

“It is vital that there should be no reporting, commentary or sharing of information online which could in any way prejudice these proceedings.”