115As regards the extracts from his testimony which are mentioned and analysed in the application, the applicant claims, first of all, that he has no professional or commercial relationship with Mr Maher Al-Assad and that he has never supported or occupied any political post in the government. Next, he maintains that his ‘former’ wealth and commercial interests were not the result of any advantages or favours received from the Syrian regime but from his own entrepreneurial initiatives (in particular in the tobacco sector). Furthermore, he disputes the existence of any alleged activities in the telecommunications, oil and plastic industry sectors. Moreover, he maintains that he has never held a contract with a government body or received commission in regard to any type of business transaction. Lastly, he contends that he is currently an uninfluential businessman, since his commercial interests were destroyed at the beginning of the war. In support of his testimony, he has produced photocopies of photographs which are intended to show the destruction of his tobacco factory.
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