Warning: Contains images some may find upsetting
A computer scientist at a university in northern England is studying an image of a corpse - aiming to shed light on a mystery that has captivated the Middle East for nearly 50 years.
In 2011, a journalist captured a photo of a decomposed body lying in a secret Libyan mortuary, believed to potentially belong to Musa al-Sadr, who disappeared in Libya in 1978.
Sadr's disappearance has fueled conspiracy theories; some claim he was executed, while others insist he remains alive and imprisoned. His followers, who regard him as an imam, view his fate as pivotal to the fate of Shia Muslims in the region.
The investigation intensified when a team at Bradford University applied facial recognition algorithms to the mortuary image. The initial results indicated a high probability that it belonged to Sadr.
Despite encountering complications, including brief detainment in Libya, the investigation offers a chance to finally unravel one of the region's enduring mysteries. The implications of this discovery could impact the narrative surrounding Sadr's legacy, cultural memory among his followers, and the socio-political dynamics in Lebanon and the greater Middle East.
