Syria Special: The Resignation of Hama's Attorney General

See Also, Syria, Libya (and Beyond) Liveblog: Cracks in the Regime

The defection of such a high-ranking and well respected member of the regime, Hama Attorney General Adnan Bakour, is already sending shockwaves around Syria, and the globe. But perhaps just as important are the astonishing claims that Mr. Bakour makes, new rights abuse allegations that surpassed the scale of anything we've reported so far.

Among the claims: 72 prisoners have died in Hama's central prison (nearly matching Amnesty International's total of 88, a number that will surely rise). 420 people lie in a single mass grave, and Bakour was asked to testify that they had been killed by "armed gangs." 320 people have been tortured by security personnel, 17 of whom died. 10,000 peaceful protesters have been imprisoned in Hama alone.

These claims, if verified, will dramatically raise the death toll in Syria, and Hama, as they are not included in the number, 2200 according to the UN, of people who have died so far, most of them on the streets, not in the prisons. But Bakour's claims also send another shiver through those covering this story...

If these are only the numbers from Hama, how bad are things in Deir Ez Zor, occupied for weeks, or any of the other cities in Syria?

SANA News is already trying to say that Hama's Attorney General resigned, and that he has been captured by the "rebels" and forced to make statements, but today Bakour made a second appearance, stating that this is not true and he will speak more when he leaves Syria. Bakour is also claiming that Shabiha (plain-clothed "ghosts" loyal to Assad) have already tried to kidnap him, but he escaped.

Below is a transcript of Bakour's announcement of his resignation, translation by the Syrian Emergency Task Force:

I, the attorney general of Hama, Adnan Muhammad al-Bakkour, announce my resignation from my position in the state that is shadowed by Assad and his gangs. I summarize the causes of my resignation by the following:

1. The killing of the prisoners in the “Central Prison of Hama” on Sunday 7/31/2011. Their number is 72 prisoners of the peaceful demonstrators and political activists. They have been buried in mass graves near the village of al-Khalidyah beside the “Military Security” branch in Hama.

2. The mass graves in the public parks made by the security forces and the death squads (al-Shabyha). The number of their victims numbers up to 420 or more. I was asked to present a report declaring that these victim were killed by the hand of “Armed Gangs.”

3. Random arrests of the peaceful demonstrators. Their number reaches around 10,000 persons.

4. The torture in the security branches. Their victims amount to 320 citizens. I was forced to give order to bury 17 of the torture victims. They have been transported from the refrigerators to the “al-Khadraa” Cemetery in al-Srayhin.

5. The Syrian Army has destroy homes with their residents in them in the neighborhood of al-Hamediyah and al-Qusur. Bodies were left under the ruins for several days until they started to decompose.

I have a long list of documents and witnesses of such atrocities and I will announce them in the future. I am listing here in short the name of the criminals who committed these atrocities towards the unarmed civilians:

1. Minister of the Interior, Muhammad al-Shaar. (محمد الشعار)He supervised and managed the military campaign against Hama directly and in person.

2. Brigadier General (Amid) Muhammad Muflih, (محمد مفلح)the chief of the Military Security Branch in Hama.

3. Brigadier General Abd al-Hamid Idris (عبد الحميد إدريس)

4. Brigadier (Muqaddam) Naji al-Sabbagh, (ناجي الصباغ) Chief of the Air Force Intelligence in Hama.

5. Brigadier General Jihad Hasan, (جهاد حسن) Chief of the State Security Branch in Hama.

6. Brigadier General Husam Luqa, (حسام لوقا) Chief of the Political Security in Hama.

7. Brigadier General Ibrahim Khalifah (ابراهيم خليفة)deputy of Head of the Police in Hama.

8. Brigadier (Muqaddam) Muhammad Ahmad Malhis, (محمد أحمد ملحس)

9. Captain (Ra’id) Watheq Kanjo. (واثق كنجو)

10. First Lieutenant Shadi Hunidy, (شادي هندي) supervisor of the torture in the Central Prison.

11. Brigadier (Muqaddam) Sulaiman Jumaah, (سليمان جمعة)supervisor of the torture in the Central Prison.

12. First Sergeant (Musaad Awwal) Ramiz Ali. (رامز علي)

13. Colonel Suhail Sulaiman. (سهيل سليمان)

14. Sergeant Anwar al-Hasan. (أنور الحسن)

This is what the reality of what is happening in Hama.

“Never think that Allah is oblivious of what the unjust are doing” Peace be with you.