Phone book uncovers Assad’s former spy chief in hiding

Sun Sep 06 2026 06:29:01 GMT+0000 (Coordinated Universal Time)

A phone book found in an abandoned Damascus apartment reveals the name of former spy chief Hussam Luka and points to his possible escape to Moscow.

After a raid on a ruined luxury flat in Damascus, journalists uncovered a buried phone book that listed the name and contacts of the regime’s feared spy chief, Hussam Luka. The phone numbers, many of which were still active, led to doctors, military officers and former informants, some of whom claimed to have met Luka. The investigation traced the man’s disappearance following the regime’s collapse to a rumored escape through Lebanon and Russia, where he may now be hiding. Despite attempts to contact him by phone and social media, Luka has refused public contact, and Russia has not responded to extradition requests, leaving those seeking justice uncertain of his fate.

Phone book uncovers Assad’s former spy chief in hiding

Armed men armed with military gear recently swept through a ruined luxury apartment in Damascus, uncovering a phone book buried under designer clothes and documents. The book, one of many in the room, carries the name Hussam Luka – the former head of Syria’s civilian intelligence with the moniker “The Spider”.

In the phone book’s left‑hand column were dozens of names – doctors, shopkeepers, military officials, and relatives – all with the same three digit prefix. The investigators reached out to 155 numbers, finding 51 still in service; however, calls initially met only snatches of refusal or uncertainty from those on the other end.

One breakthrough came when a guard for Luka’s apartment block answered, admitting he had been the chief’s personal bodyguard. He gave a driver’s number, which led to an operative who claimed Luka had fled the capital, leaving a safe house full of money behind.

Investigative reporters then followed the trail to the outskirts of Damascus, to hypothesize that Luka may have crossed into Lebanon, tied to Hezbollah, and then flown to Russia. They found evidence of Russian ties— awards, a New Year card from a senior Russian official, and a Russian‑country‑code phone number—suggesting an exile in Moscow.

Attempts to contact the suspect by phone and social‑media channels yielded no direct answers; the line crackled, the voice was nervous, and the final call ended in a hang‑up. In an interview with the mayor, the BBC confirmed that there has been no extradition from Russia for Assad or his senior operatives.

Back in Homs, the grieving mother of the seven‑year‑old boy killed in the September 2015 massacre remains hopeful that the man who orchestrated the killings will one day be brought to justice.