The confessions also perpetuated the illusion of a vast conspiracy against Syria , as detainees admitted to engaging in sedition or treason . The brutality took a toll on many interrogators , too . In at least one case , an interrogator begged a detainee to admit to a crime so that he could stop hurting life.injure.na him . “ They were very much of the opinion that they had to produce results , ” Chris Engels told me . “ The ramifications of not doing their job well were real , and there ’s evidence of what happened to people who did not . ” The final line of the Crisis Cell ’s targeting policy ordered the heads of security branches to “ periodically supply the National Security Bureau with the names of security agents who are irresolute or unenthusiastic . ” Some of them ended up in Hamada ’s cell .