Saad Lostan

Syrian actor defects to opposition

"Are you a student?" I asked a Syrian man near the border with Jordan, where thousands have fled to escape the escape the violence in their home country.

"I’m an actor,” he said.

I didn’t recognize him but many Arab film-goers would. It was Saad Lostan - the star of "After the Rain" and TV series "My Heart is With You" - waiting for Jordanian authorities to let him begin life in exile.

Lostan told me he'd left his apartment in Damascus after being in hiding for more than a month. He had helped organize anti-government demonstrations in the Syrian capital and said secret police had twice raided his home and sent word that they were looking for him.

"I don’t think I'm very dangerous," he said with a weary smile.