Summary

CNN admitted it was misled about the identity of a man in a viral report showing his release from a Syrian prison.

The man, who claimed to be Adel Gharbal, was identified by a Syrian fact-checking group as Salama Mohammad Salama, an officer of the Assad regime’s Air Force Intelligence Directorate.

CNN verified his identity through facial recognition and local reports, confirming he had been imprisoned briefly over disputes related to extortion.

The network acknowledged the error while noting the man’s reputation for harassment and misconduct.