Theo Padnos

That's right. And we had a thing called Operation Timber Sycamore at the time. We were pouring millions and millions of dollars into their pockets. So theoretically, they ought to have been on our side.

That's right. And we had a thing called Operation Timber Sycamore at the time. We were pouring millions and millions of dollars into their pockets. So theoretically, they ought to have been on our side.

That's right. And we had a thing called Operation Timber Sycamore at the time. We were pouring millions and millions of dollars into their pockets. So theoretically, they ought to have been on our side.

But anyway, I arrived at this police station. They said, oh, great, thank you for coming. Have a cup of tea. Nice to see you. We're going to just have a little discussion and figure out who you really are. And then they went out and found the kidnappers, and the kidnappers said, he's a spy. He's an American. Well, you know, look how he speaks Arabic. during the arrest, they beat me.

But anyway, I arrived at this police station. They said, oh, great, thank you for coming. Have a cup of tea. Nice to see you. We're going to just have a little discussion and figure out who you really are. And then they went out and found the kidnappers, and the kidnappers said, he's a spy. He's an American. Well, you know, look how he speaks Arabic. during the arrest, they beat me.

But anyway, I arrived at this police station. They said, oh, great, thank you for coming. Have a cup of tea. Nice to see you. We're going to just have a little discussion and figure out who you really are. And then they went out and found the kidnappers, and the kidnappers said, he's a spy. He's an American. Well, you know, look how he speaks Arabic. during the arrest, they beat me.

It's like, how could a guy speak Arabic like this without having been trained by the CIA? I'm like, I spent my stupid, every last bit of pocket change I had to study this damn language.

It's like, how could a guy speak Arabic like this without having been trained by the CIA? I'm like, I spent my stupid, every last bit of pocket change I had to study this damn language.

It's like, how could a guy speak Arabic like this without having been trained by the CIA? I'm like, I spent my stupid, every last bit of pocket change I had to study this damn language.

Yeah, we went to the Islamic court, the Shara'i. That's the court of the law, of God. And this guy interviewed the kidnappers. In an Islamic court, you have two witnesses for the prosecution. And those were my kidnappers. There was no lawyer. And the two witnesses testified against me that I was indeed a spy. They talked to the judge for like 40 minutes.

Yeah, we went to the Islamic court, the Shara'i. That's the court of the law, of God. And this guy interviewed the kidnappers. In an Islamic court, you have two witnesses for the prosecution. And those were my kidnappers. There was no lawyer. And the two witnesses testified against me that I was indeed a spy. They talked to the judge for like 40 minutes.

Yeah, we went to the Islamic court, the Shara'i. That's the court of the law, of God. And this guy interviewed the kidnappers. In an Islamic court, you have two witnesses for the prosecution. And those were my kidnappers. There was no lawyer. And the two witnesses testified against me that I was indeed a spy. They talked to the judge for like 40 minutes.

And the judge came into a room with all the Jaisal Hora guys, all the Free Syrian Army guys. He goes, you're going to have to provide me with a translator. I go, don't worry, judge. I speak Arabic. No problem. I don't need a translator. It was like a capital crime. I was being tried basically for spying. I didn't know this.

And the judge came into a room with all the Jaisal Hora guys, all the Free Syrian Army guys. He goes, you're going to have to provide me with a translator. I go, don't worry, judge. I speak Arabic. No problem. I don't need a translator. It was like a capital crime. I was being tried basically for spying. I didn't know this.

And the judge came into a room with all the Jaisal Hora guys, all the Free Syrian Army guys. He goes, you're going to have to provide me with a translator. I go, don't worry, judge. I speak Arabic. No problem. I don't need a translator. It was like a capital crime. I was being tried basically for spying. I didn't know this.

Well, the right thing to do when you're being tried for capital crime, the thing that they could kill you for is to delay, stall, just don't let it happen. But I'm like, no, I'm going to talk to him. He's going to see that I'm innocent. He's going to be reasonable. He also recorded me on video like this. They record everything they do on video. He's like, ask me a few questions.

Well, the right thing to do when you're being tried for capital crime, the thing that they could kill you for is to delay, stall, just don't let it happen. But I'm like, no, I'm going to talk to him. He's going to see that I'm innocent. He's going to be reasonable. He also recorded me on video like this. They record everything they do on video. He's like, ask me a few questions.

Well, the right thing to do when you're being tried for capital crime, the thing that they could kill you for is to delay, stall, just don't let it happen. But I'm like, no, I'm going to talk to him. He's going to see that I'm innocent. He's going to be reasonable. He also recorded me on video like this. They record everything they do on video. He's like, ask me a few questions.

I told him I had been in Yemen studying Arabic and studying Islam. He's like, spy, spy, spy. And it took, you know, my testimony was like five minutes. And then he called the soldier. He goes, put him in the basement. They brought me down into a toilet in the basement. And they locked the door. It was like about the size of this chair. You couldn't lie down in it.

I told him I had been in Yemen studying Arabic and studying Islam. He's like, spy, spy, spy. And it took, you know, my testimony was like five minutes. And then he called the soldier. He goes, put him in the basement. They brought me down into a toilet in the basement. And they locked the door. It was like about the size of this chair. You couldn't lie down in it.