A Dangerous Dynasty: House of Assad

Bashar al-Assad trained to be an eye doctor at St Mary's Hospital in Paddington, Asma was a British born girl from a Syrian family with a career in investment banking. Over a decade ago, they were being welcomed with open arms in Britain. Today, they are entrenched in a brutal war that has led to some of the most horrifying crimes of modern times.

Bashar Assad is now president of Syria. His glamorous wife Asma is now first lady. Both are faced with a number of problems. Asma's in laws don't like the idea of her being first lady and want to keep her out of the limelight. An angry President of the United states names Syria as part of the Axis of Evil and the United Nations issue resolutions that Bashar's family want him to ignore. The Assads soon find themselves at the centre of a murder investigation.

Bashar al-Assad has been president of Syria for a decade. His wife Asma is enjoying her role as first lady, pushing charity drives and encouraging school children to discuss democracy. As a glamorous profile of Asma appears in Vogue magazine, the Arab Spring protests reach Syria. Bashar must decide whether to concede to their demands for greater freedom or follow in his father Hafez's famously hardline steps.