The Art of Manliness

#492: How to Survive a Secret Syrian Terrorist Prison

Mar 20, 2019

Matthew Schrier, author of "The Dawn Prayer," shares his harrowing journey of being captured by Al-Nusra Front in Syria. He discusses the survival tactics he developed during seven months of torture and starvation, emphasizing the power of humor and human connection even in dark times. Schrier also reflects on the precarious nature of trust among captives and guards, and recounts his experience as the first Westerner to escape an Al-Qaeda prison, illustrating the psychological warfare he faced and the clever plans he devised for freedom.

40:22

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Episode guests

Matthew Schrier

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Episode notes

Intro

2min

Captured in Chaos: A Photographer's Escape

9min

Navigating Respect in Youthful Ranks

2min

Captivity and Betrayal in Syria

7min

Affordable Luxury and Wireless Solutions

3min

Struggles of Imprisonment and Desperate Escape Plans

4min

Surviving a Syrian Prison

18min

Matthew Schrier was on his way home from Syria after spending months photographing the war going on there, when, just 45 minutes from the safety of the Turkish border, he was taken prisoner by the Al-Nusra Front — a branch of Al-Qaeda in Syria.

For the next seven months he was starved and tortured in six different prison camps. Yet he survived, becoming the first Westerner to escape Al-Qaeda. Today he teaches the military about what he learned through his experience.

Today on the show, I talk to Matt about his book, The Dawn Prayer, which details what he learned about how to survive a Syrian prison, as well the lessons he learned in what not to do from a fellow American with whom he was held captive.

Get the snow notes at aom.is/dawnprayer.