This man was jailed in Spain as an ISIS terrorist... Now, it turns out he was a Danish spy, and HBO will adapt his story

Ahmed Samsam spent years behind bars in Spain, accused of terrorism, before courts confirmed he was secretly working for Denmark's intelligence services.
Text: Óscar Ontañón Docal
Published 2025-09-09

Ahmed Samsam, a Danish citizen of Syrian origin, was stunned when arrested in Spain during a holiday, accused of ties to ISIS despite secretly working as a Danish spy in Syria. Years in prison followed while his true mission remained hidden, and even his own intelligence service had kept silent. After a relentless legal fight, Danish courts finally confirmed this week his undercover role, shedding light on a conviction built on misunderstanding and misdirection. Samsam now hopes the ruling will clear his name in Spain, while his extraordinary story of espionage, betrayal, and survival is set to reach a global audience in both an upcoming HBO documentary and a fiction series. As a matter of fact, his story has already inspired Agent Samsam, a documentary series for Denmark's main public radio and TV network, which you can learn more about through the following link. Go! Btw... Would you be interested in seeing HBO's adaptation of his story?

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