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Security Pursuit and Assault Inside the Church of the Cross in Damascus

In a painful incident that occurred during "Palm Friday" nearly nine years ago, a Syrian academic recounts shocking details about being subjected to security pursuit and physical assault, despite being a university professor and a Christian, inside the Church of the Cross in the al-Qusaa neighborhood of Damascus.
Witness Suhail Abu Asla shared his testimony: "While I was in the church, I was surprised to hear a man named Michel Barakat Azar screaming for his men: 'These are Muslim Brotherhood and they intend to blow up the church.' Immediately, his men drew their weapons and threatened to kill me, despite the absence of any evidence supporting these accusations. Colonel Mohammed Miehoub from the Air Intelligence was with them."
This incident was just the beginning of a series of violations against the academic. He recounts another event that occurred later, when Michel Barakat Azar, the leader of "National Defense" in al-Qusaa and brother of someone known as "the Whale," collaborated with Khalil Arabji to leak information about him to officers from the Republican Guard, who then stormed his family’s home in the al-Soufania neighborhood of Damascus.
Abu Asla says: "There was only my elderly mother in the house, and they threatened her with death if she did not open the door, informing her that they were looking for me. Later, one of the officers called me disguised as an employee from the electricity company, asking about my location. I told him I was in a meeting with Dr. Suhail Marshah at the Civil Engineering Faculty at the University of Damascus, where I was subsequently ambushed."
Upon arriving at the side door of the college, he was attacked by three elements, later joined by around 25 more. "They threw me to the ground and began kicking me all over my body, then tied me up and took me to a Republican Guard facility," the academic recounts.
He adds: "They confiscated my wallet and beat me, especially after the investigator contacted Michel Azar and Khalil Arabji, with Azar literally telling him: 'Beat him as much as you can.'"
"From the interrogation facility, they took me to my house in Jaramana. When we passed through a security checkpoint at the entrance to the city, they threatened to disfigure my face if I spoke to the checkpoint personnel, waving a device that resembled a gas stove. After we arrived, they stormed my house, stealing two million Syrian pounds, a Sony Ericsson phone, medications belonging to my mother, and everything lightweight and valuable."
It is noteworthy that Michel continues to live a normal life in al-Qusaa, Damascus, and regularly meets with the Whale's gang in his shop.
The testimony goes beyond security violations, indicating Michel Azar and his associates' involvement in corruption and illegal trade, highlighting the necessity for a formal investigation into these matters.
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BENEFIT Sponsors BuildHer...
- April 23, 2025
BENEFIT, the Kingdom’s innovator and leading company in Fintech and electronic financial transactions service, has sponsored the BuildHer CityHack 2025 Hackathon, a two-day event spearheaded by the College of Engineering and Technology at the Royal University for Women (RUW).
Aimed at secondary school students, the event brought together a distinguished group of academic professionals and technology experts to mentor and inspire young participants.
More than 100 high school students from across the Kingdom of Bahrain took part in the hackathon, which featured an intensive programme of training workshops and hands-on sessions. These activities were tailored to enhance participants’ critical thinking, collaborative problem-solving, and team-building capabilities, while also encouraging the development of practical and sustainable solutions to contemporary challenges using modern technological tools.
BENEFIT’s Chief Executive Mr. Abdulwahed AlJanahi, commented: “Our support for this educational hackathon reflects our long-term strategic vision to nurture the talents of emerging national youth and empower the next generation of accomplished female leaders in technology. By fostering creativity and innovation, we aim to contribute meaningfully to Bahrain’s comprehensive development goals and align with the aspirations outlined in the Kingdom’s Vision 2030—an ambition in which BENEFIT plays a central role.”
Professor Riyadh Yousif Hamzah, President of the Royal University for Women, commented: “This initiative reflects our commitment to advancing women in STEM fields. We're cultivating a generation of creative, solution-driven female leaders who will drive national development. Our partnership with BENEFIT exemplifies the powerful synergy between academia and private sector in supporting educational innovation.”
Hanan Abdulla Hasan, Senior Manager, PR & Communication at BENEFIT, said: “We are honoured to collaborate with RUW in supporting this remarkable technology-focused event. It highlights our commitment to social responsibility, and our ongoing efforts to enhance the digital and innovation capabilities of young Bahraini women and foster their ability to harness technological tools in the service of a smarter, more sustainable future.”
For his part, Dr. Humam ElAgha, Acting Dean of the College of Engineering and Technology at the University, said: “BuildHer CityHack 2025 embodies our hands-on approach to education. By tackling real-world problems through creative thinking and sustainable solutions, we're preparing women to thrive in the knowledge economy – a cornerstone of the University's vision.”
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