The phone book that led us to Assad's spy chief in hiding
Journalists investigating the fall of the Assad regime in Syria discovered a notebook in the abandoned apartment of intelligence chief Hussam Luka. The contact list provides potential leads on the whereabouts of the sanctioned official accused of systematic torture.
Why it matters
The discovery offers a rare glimpse into the private life of a high-ranking regime official and could aid in ongoing efforts to seek justice for war crimes.
The phone book that led us to Assad's spy chief in hiding
By Alice Cuddy BBC News In an abandoned luxury apartment in the Syrian capital Damascus, armed men dressed in military fatigues sifted through designer clothes and documents.
Scattered across the living room floor, under a sparkling crystal chandelier, were dozens of photos of the same slender man in different settings - sitting at his desk, even playing in the snow. And multiple prints of the same image, showing him smiling warmly as he shook the hand of ousted dictator Bashar al-Assad.
The man was not instantly recognisable, but gold medals and gilded certificates piled nearby were inscribed with the name Hussam Luka.
Known as "The Spider", Luka was one of Assad's top henchmen, accused of orchestrating atrocities and systematic torture, and sanctioned by the UK, US and European Union.
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