Khaberni - Caution and concealment in a difficult geographical area extending between Al-Ghab Plain and the Latakia Mountains did not aid in escaping from the grip of justice, as the Syrian Interior Ministry announced the arrest of the perpetrator of the Al-Tadamun massacre, Amjad Youssef, after monitoring that lasted several months.
Youssef had been hiding since the fall of the regime on January 8, 2024, in Al-Ghab Plain area, ensuring he did not appear in public and stayed in the family home in the village of "Naba al-Tayyib".
According to details revealed after the arrest, Youssef spent those months out of sight, living in a dark room with thick curtains, and rarely going out except with a forged ID card and a disguised appearance so he wouldn't be recognized.
A "special" source for the Syrian "Al-Ikhbariya" channel mentioned that a number of Amjad Youssef's relatives were detained, including his father, along with other individuals suspected of involvement in concealing his disappearance over the past period, related to the "Al-Tadamun neighborhood massacre" in Damascus.
The credit for Youssef's arrest goes to researcher Ansar Shahood, working at the "Center for Genocide Crimes" at the University of Amsterdam, who led a three-year investigative investigation, in cooperation with Professor Uğur Ümit Üngör.
Shahood, using her pseudonym "Anna," managed to communicate with Youssef in 2019, won his trust, and led him to confess on camera his role in the Al-Tadamun massacre that resulted in the death of 41 civilians in 2013.
The British newspaper "The Guardian" published Shahood’s investigation, providing solid evidence supporting the accusations against Youssef, as she documented the crime with audio and visuals.
According to the newspaper, during that period, Shahood communicated with 200 individuals associated with Bashar Al-Assad's regime and managed through them to identify the identity of the Al-Tadamun butcher, Amjad Youssef, which aided in pinpointing his hideout location.
"The Guardian" in April 2022 published Shahood’s investigation along with a video clip showing killing operations and burning of bodies, carried out by members of Branch 227, affiliated with the Military Intelligence Division in the Al-Tadamun neighborhood, contributing to re-highlighting the massacre.
After the arrest, Shahood said: "I am happy for the victims' families, and we await a transparent trial for the criminal." She also confirmed that revealing the details of this crime might lead to the arrest of other perpetrators. She added: "I feel safe now."
Following Youssef’s arrest, Syrian Interior Minister Anas Khattab appeared personally interrogating the criminal, as the Interior Ministry published videos depicting the arrest process.
