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The Honey Trap: A True Story of Love, Lies, and the FBI is a feature documentary set to premiere on Paramoun+ on Friday, December 6, 2024, at 10 p.m. ET/PT. Directed by Chris Moukarbel, the documentary explores the life of Denis Cuspert, also known as Deso Dogg, a former rapper who became an Islamic militant.
The show explores his journey from music fame to fighting with the Islamic State (ISIS/ISIL) in the Middle East, where he became a high-profile figure. Also, his connections with other members are analyzed, including Fared Saal. While Cuspert’s story ends with his death on the war front, the documentary reveals the twists in Saal’s life.
The Honey Trap: A True Story of Love, Lies, and FBI promises to provide insight into how love, manipulation, and FBI involvement played a role in this extraordinary and tragic story.
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Who was Denis Cuspert in The Honey Trap?
Denis Cuspert was born on October 18, 1975, in Kreuzberg, Berlin, and was brought up in tough conditions. His father, Richard Luc-Giffard, was a Ghanaian deportee who left Germany before Denis was born, so he was brought up by his German mother, Sigrid Cuspert.
Denis grew up in a family that lived in Charlottenburg, Moabit, and Schöneberg. His mother later married a US Army officer, but Denis had a difficult relationship with his stepfather, leading to conflicts at home.
As a teenager, Denis faced many troubles; he was also in a juvenile detention center. In 1995, he started rapping, but his career struggled as he got into street violence and crime. In 2002, he changed his name to Deso Dogg and collaborated with Berlin rapper Charnell. At that time, Denis was in an open prison for minor offenses.
In 2004, he was arrested for various crimes, including drug-related offenses. By 2010, he ended his rap career and converted to Islam, taking the name Abou Maleeq. In 2012, Cuspert left Germany for Egypt and later Syria, where he joined jihadist forces in the Syrian Civil War under the name Abu Talha al-Almani. He died in Syria on January 17, 2018.
The Honey Trap features his life struggles and the reasons why he chose a militant life over a glorious musical career.
Fared Saal was a key recruiter for ISIS
In 1989, Fared Saal was born in Bonn, Germany. In 2013, he, along with his wife Karolina R. and her brother Maximilian, moved to Syria, reportedly making him one of the first German jihadists to Islamic State (ISIS). Before joining ISIS, Saal was part of a group called Junud al-Sham, where he met Denis Cuspert, another German who had a commanding position in ISIS.
In 2014, Saal began appearing in ISIS propaganda videos with Cuspert. One video reportedly showed them mocking victims of an attack and abusing corpses. After moving to Syria, Saal changed his name to Abu Luqmaan al-Almani and married at least five women under Islamic law. His first wife, Karolina, later returned to Germany and was sentenced to prison for sending him money and supplies.
The Honey Trap briefly explains how Saal became a recruiter for ISIS. Fluent in multiple languages, he effectively convinced people to join the group. His activities led to his addition to the United Nations sanctions list and designation as a Specially Designated Global Terrorist by the United States. Among his crimes, he allegedly tried to help two Austrian teenagers travel to Syria to join ISIS.
What happened to Fared Saal in The Honey Trap?
In early 2018, Fared Saal surrendered to the People’s Defense Units (YPG), a Kurdish group supported by the United States in Syria. He spent a year in prison in northern Syria before being interviewed by German journalists in early 2019.
The Honey Trap features an interview that showcases his possible redemption. During the interview, Saal said he regretted joining ISIS and admitted it was too late to undo his actions. He claimed to have distanced himself from ISIS by the end of 2016 and acknowledged being investigated for war crimes.
Saal expressed his wish to return to Germany, saying he would prefer imprisonment there because of the country’s respect for human rights. However, Germany’s government could not help with his extradition, as it has no law enforcement agreements with Syria and cannot provide consular assistance in the region.
Since the interview, there has been little news about Saal. A 2022 report disclosed that one of his wives, Meltem K., had reportedly surrendered in Turkey and was later acquitted after showing remorse. She believed Saal was still held by the YPG at the time. His exact whereabouts remain unclear due to Syria's lack of prisoner records.
Catch The Honey Trap: A True Story of Love, Lies, and the FBI, set to be released on December 6, 2024, on Paramount+.
