Former General Khalid al-Halabi, who held one of the highest positions in military intelligence in Syria, has been arrested in Austria and charged with war crimes.
Modern.az reports that, according to an investigation by "The New York Times" newspaper, he acted as an agent for Israel's special service agency MOSSAD for many years.
According to information, al-Halabi was the head of the local intelligence department in Raqqa, Syria, between 2011 and 2013, and during that period, he is accused of torturing political prisoners, inhumane treatment, and other serious crimes.
After fleeing Syria in 2013, the general initially hid in Paris, and was later transferred to Austria with the help of MOSSAD operatives and some Austrian special service representatives. He is reported to have been granted political asylum and an apartment in Vienna.
NYT writes that high-ranking officials of Austrian intelligence were interested in his transfer to Europe with the aim of expanding cooperation with Israeli special services.
Despite years of searching, al-Halabi's location was only determined after he shared a photo taken on one of Budapest's bridges on social media. He has been in custody since December 2024.
The indictment is currently before the Vienna court, and whether al-Halabi is guilty of war crimes will be determined by the court's decision.
