The former assistant director general of the army-run scientific and research studies has died in suspicious circumstances, weeks after his demand to leave Syria to visit his relatives in one of the EU countries, source told Zaman al-Wasl Thursday

 

Dr. Salam Yussef Tohme, 70, was in good health and he did not suffer from any disease, the source assured.

 

Tohme's death came after he submitted requests last month to obtain the approval of the state intelligence to visit his brothers and sisters who live in Europe, but the request was rejected, and the news of his sudden death came a few weeks later.

The source said Tohme was aware of the murder of Dr. Mahmoud Ibrahim, Director of Planning at the Institute of Scientific Research in 2015 by the Syrian intelligence.

 

Tohme was the assistant director-general of the Center for Scientific Studies and Research in Damascus. He also supervised the fourth sector in the Institute of Scientific Research in the city of Masyaf after the killing of Dr. Aziz Asbar in the explosion of his car there in 2018. Tohme remained in his position until he retired a few months ago.

 

According to the source, Tohme was the main actor in moving the center's activities to produce various killing weapons, including chemical stockpile. 

 

Tohme holds a Ph.D. in mechanics from the British University of Notreham in 1983. He was born in the predominantly Christian village of Matn al-Sahel near the city of Tartus.

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