"Everything I've done has been for my people. Can you say the same?"
- Bitar taunts Gabe during their final showdown
Ghassan al-Bitar is the major antagonist of Syphon Filter: Logan's Shadow.
Background
Bitar was the commander of al-Jamil, an international terrorist consortium that translated to "the Beautiful". His hatred of the West motivated him to destroy all sources of its influence in the Middle East, and weaken anything that benefited foreign countries. Bitar had supporters for his cause among which were powerful businessmen such as Fawzi Rahmani, an Egyptian oil magnate and terrorist financier, as well as members of the Syrian government. Overzealous, Bitar eventually murdered anyone deemed unloyal, including Rahmani, when al-Jamil's zealousness encroached on Rahmani's own business interests.
Military and covert operations to capture or assassinate Bitar met with utter failure. Gabriel Logan of the Agency came the closest to finding Bitar when the latter and his thugs were traced to a New York port, attempting to blow a tanker full of liquid natural gas. NIOC Director Robert Cordell interfered to override Logan and stopped the tanker, but aborted the mission to neutralise Bitar himself.
Cordell later hired al-Jamil as mercenaries to inveigle X-Z-2 inventor Shen Rei into Pakistan so the U.S. could catch him. Bitar agreed to the deal, but also decided to use the scientist to make several X-Z-2 devices for use as bombs, and he allied with the Warsingala Protectors clan of pirates to attack a U.S. Naval vessel carrying one of the X-Z-2 in NIOC custody. Deploying first a group of United States Special Forces to the ship, Cordell then requested the IPCA get involved. When both options failed, he ironically ordered destroyers from the Fifth Fleet to unleash cruise missiles at the ship, in order to stop Bitar, who he realised too late was out of control, which unintentionally put Gabe Logan's life in danger. Despite his efforts, the terrorist escaped with the energy device.
Cordell sent Logan and the Agency after Bitar to cover up his association with the terrorists, and used the military in an assault of al-Jamil's desert bunker. Bitar took several X-Z-2 bombs to a Syrian dam for additional power, and Logan pursued him on a series of elevators after fighting his way through the complex. Although the Syrian attempted to nuke a city in the USA with his device, Shen Rei had intentionally rigged the bomb to malfunction, and Logan destroyed the sabotaged explosive during a firefight engagement with the terrorist. Bitar perished in the resulting explosion.
Personality and characteristics
Bitar is slow to anger and in most situations seems cold and emotionless. Fiercely loyal to his faction, he nevertheless believes that his followers should be prepared to sacrifice themselves for greater good, which basically means, doing everything they can to ensure that Bitar survives. Bitar believes that he, and only he, has the ability to lead the war against coalition forces.
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