Inside the Alaa M. Trial #98: Facebook Chats reveal Pattern of Violence and Manipulation

TRIAL OF ALAA M.

Higher Regional Court – Frankfurt, Germany

Trial Monitoring Summary #98

Hearing Date: February 20, 2025

CAUTION: Some testimony includes descriptions of torture.  

Note that this summary is not a verbatim transcript of the trial; it is merely an unofficial summary of the proceedings.  

Throughout this summary, [information located in brackets are notes from our trial monitor] and “information placed in quotes are statements made by the witness, judges or counsel.” The names and identifying information of witnesses have been redacted. 

[Note: SJAC continues to provide a summary of the proceedings while redacting certain details to protect witness privacy and to preserve the integrity of the trial.]

SJAC’s 98th trial monitoring report details day 177 of the trial of Alaa M. in Frankfurt, Germany.  The session focused on the official reading of Facebook chats attributed to the Accused. These chats, dated between 2011 and 2017, included exchanges with women, male friends, and relatives. While many began in casual or friendly tones, they often unfolded into disturbing patterns of behavior: unwanted flirtation, egocentric and vulgar self-presentation, sexually explicit and politically violent language. Presented with the agreement of all parties, the chats revealed a recurring tone marked by emotional manipulation and a disturbing glorification of violence, offering deeper insight into the Accused’s social behavior and personal attitudes during the Syrian conflict.

Day 177 – February 20, 2025

The session began with a procedural confirmation that the Accused understood the materials presented without the assistance of interpreter Mr. Baracat. With agreement from all parties, the Court approved the reading of translated Facebook chats from Volume 12 of the case files into the official record.

These chats offered revealing insights into Alaa M.'s communication style and self-presentation in his interactions with women. In all conversations, he consistently introduced himself as a doctor, likely a calculated effort to portray himself as a desirable, high-status man. Even when the women responded only briefly or stopped replying altogether, he continued messaging them. His tone frequently became dramatic and self-aggrandizing, exemplified by messages such as: “I will stop writing to you, but my love for you will remain.”

In Chat 23, which took place between January and February 2012, the Accused directed a stream of excessive compliments toward a female Facebook user, calling her “the most beautiful Jablawiya i.e. a female from the city of Jabla, Syria and stating, “Your face should be banned. You distract me from work,” followed by, “Your beauty should bury me. By God and Bashar al-Assad, your face is so beautiful.” Despite receiving no replies, he continued to send her affectionate and theatrical messages, including “Good night, kitty. Good night, sweetie. It was an honor to meet you,” and later added, “Hi, if you want, I’ll tell you more in Hama?” and “Hi, noble one.”

Across various chats, Alaa M. also repeatedly asked friends to like or comment on his Facebook posts and photos, revealing a pronounced need for admiration and public validation.

In Chat 226, which spanned from 2011 to 2014 and was conducted with [redacted name], an initial discussion about mobile phones quickly veered into crude boasting, including the line: “I jerk off to Georgette. Weed tastes better than pussy. I tried it three times in the UK. I recommend you try it too.” The chat then briefly shifted to the topic of armed conflict, with messages such as: “18 shots fired today in al-Zabadani” and “Someone from the Ishaq family in Marmarita was shot.”

In later conversations, the Accused's tone became increasingly graphic and aggressively sexual. In a 2017 exchange with [redacted name], he proclaimed:

“I was created to fuck pussies, then cunts, then the clitoris. I’m Abu Chaker/Shukri, the conqueror!”

followed by: “Bring the fucking back to the chat!” as well as
“Tell him my dick is like a bar association’s staff and that my cock fucks his fat ass.”

These conversations frequently involved degrading and hypersexual language, some while the Accused was allegedly at work in a hospital setting – mocking colleagues and boasting about his sexual dominance.

In later messages referencing anti-regime protests and war atrocities, Alaa M. expressed disturbing approval of violence:

• “In al-Zabadani, they were raped. Today they raped the cunt of Hama.”
• “My friend’s brother, an air force major, killed 21 dogs (cultural swearing word).”
• “Once the ass-committee reaches Homs, next month will be like Hama 1982.”
• “This nation needs a Hitler or Saddam to fuck it.”
• “This is a revolution of bandits. Eyad should be fucked by me.”
• “May God help the people — especially the Alawites!”

These chat excerpts were read aloud in court by Judges Koller and Rhode, with the Presiding Judge occasionally intervening to read particularly sensitive parts. At one point, the Judge reacted to the romantic exaggerations with an audible “Boah,” suggesting disbelief at the Accused’s tone and persistence.

Following the reading, the parties to the proceedings conducted a self-reading of the remaining chat logs. Defense Counsel Endres argued that such vulgarities could be culturally relative, noting the informal use of similar language among close friends in countries like Croatia.

The proceedings were adjourned at 11:26 AM.

The next trial day is scheduled for February 27 at 10:00 AM.

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