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@shareefolqowm

, 14 tweets, 3 min read

I paid a bribe,as usual,to have my passport stamped with the Syrian "exit" stamp without issues, after spending summer in Syria a while back(pre 2011) getting ready to leave Syria and go back to my university. I went to the Immigration and Passport services to pick up my passport

They stated calling out the names of those whose passports are ready. To my surprise, I wasn't one of them. I approached the employee and asked him about my passport. After knowing my name, he asked me to hold down and went to talk to another person standing in the back.

The guy he is talking to, looked like your typical Mukhabarat (intelligence) guy with a big mustache and a pistol visible in back of his beltt. The guy approached me and said in Alawite accent "Your passport is with us, come by tomorrow at 11 to the Intelligence branch

(Forgot the area) to Pick it up, ask for Mugaddam 'Ali when you get there"
It that point, I was scared as fuck. I said okay and left.
I started asking my friends and family of what to expect and what to do. We all agreed that it is possiblly something else baside wanting to

Arrest me, they could have done so already. But, my brain was going crazy trying to figure out what they want. Needless to say,I could sleep that night.
The next day I headed to the intelligence branch.I approached one of the security guys with an AK47 and asked for Muqaddam 'Ali

One of them walked me inside the disgusting Soviet-style building with photographs of Assad on every wall. We came to an office, he knocked on the door and we went in. The man left and I stood in front of a man sitting behind a desk. He asked "what's your name?"

I told him my name and he started to shift through few passports on his desk untill he found mine. "Have a seat" he told me, while I was about to piss in my pants.
I sat on the old nasty chair facing him.
Then he told me "you are studying at..... University?"
I said yes.

"We need you to start sending us reports about the Syrians there, we don't have anyone there"
"But, I really don't know any, there are other Syrians there but I really don't know them."
I was lying of course, I know all the Syrians there.
"I am very sure you know some, if not

You better start, not only in the University, anyone you meet there"
Again, I repeated "Sir,I really don't know anyone,most of those I interacted with stay out of politics"
The guy started to get upset "look, you will need to send us reports about them, their names,family members

What they do, who they like, what they eat, what they read, what they watch...where they go, where they live... everything"
Sensing his angry voice, I replied "okay, I will try my best"
He felt I wasn't serious enough.
"You will send us monthly report, if you don't,

You will not to be allowed to come to Syria again, if you do, you will be arrested and not allowed to leave"
He then hands me a piece of paper with a handwritten post office address and a fake name.
"Here is the address to send your reports". Then he hands me the passport.

I took the passport, stood up, and said "okay. Thank you". and headed out.
I went home not knowing what to do. No freaking way on Earth I am going to write reports about my friends. But, what shall I do?
I told myself, maybe I can just write positive reports telling them how

Every Syrian there just loves Assad.
After consulting with some friends, someone knew someone who knows someone to whome I can pay a bribe, yet again, and don't have to do what the Mukhabarat asked to do. It wasn't cheap, but it was the best option, and I took it.