CNN interview: ISIS captured 5000 blank Syrian passports in Raqqa

[Lee-Lee]

16. Yes, they are "real" in every way when it comes to detecting fakes

You detect counterfeit documents by looking for the details the forger gets wrong.

You can't do that when they get their hands on the real thing and simply put a made up name and date of birth. Because it's a real base document it's undetectable as a fraud.

The only detection possible is if the Syrian government knows the serial number range of the bad documents and they tell other nations. They may know that information, but why would Assad share it with countries trying to remove him from power? It's in his best interest that more of these people leave Syria.

The only other defense is to have customs in every country check with Syrian officials in real-time as they inspect every passport- but once again, why would Assad ever cooperate with that?