Reston Filmmaker Lied About Assassination Attempt, Report Claims

A Reston-based Syrian film director working on a movie critical of the Assad regime claims to have survived an assassination attempt, but a new report is calling that into question.

Muhammad Bayazid -- who, according to his LinkedIn page, lives in Reston and owns D.C.-based LightArt Media Productions -- was stabbed in the chest while meeting with investors for a new film project that examines Syria's infamous Tadmor prison, according to a Middle East Eye report.

However, a report by The New Arab claims the Bayazid "planned and faked" his own assassination attempt to promote his work.

Bayazid had visited Turkey last month to promote his film, The Tunnel, which examined the Tadmur prison in Syria. It was there that Bayazid claims he was stabbed in the chest in an attempt by the Assad regime to silence him.

"However, one of Bayazid's producers, Mohammed al-Hindi, filmed conversations with the director which revealed that Bayazid was planning to fake his assassination," The New Arab claims. "The videos appear to show conversations that took place between May and June, with Bayazid trying to co-ordinate his own assassination in attempts to finance The Tunnel by gaining sympathy for being targeted by Assad's goons."

Bayazid's wife, Samah Safi Bayazid, said on Facebook that it was an "assassination attempt," states the Middle East Eye report.

Mohammed Ghanem, who says he is friend of Bayazid, stated in a Facebook post -- a screenshot of which was posted by Middle East Eye -- that he was "deeply disturbed and distressed by the horrendous news of the assassination attempt." He believes the Syrian government is behind the attack and the meeting with investors was a ruse to make an attempt on his life.

"Muhammad is an immensely talented and very successful filmmaker, who, together with his wife Samah, has established himself as a role model for a new generation of aspiring film directors," he wrote. "Through trainings and workshops they hold- often free of charge- the power couple have shared their skills and talents with countless youths in the Middle East and byeond. Their films chiefly concern themselves with social and humanitarian issues so I wouldn't be surprised if Assad or ISIS are found to be the culprits, especially with this week's release of the trailer of 'The Tunnel,' their new film about Tadmur prison, one of Syria's most notorious jails."

Image: A promotional poster of "Fireplace," a film by Bayazid's LightArt Media Productions.