the way haffas al assad did it was insurrection. >> other outlawed islamic parties began to kilt others. all out revolt broke out in hama. >> it fell to the brother to destroy the muslim brotherhood which had taken over hama. >> this time, the syrian president turned to his younger brother to lay spheej to the city. siege to the city. the syrian army had flattened half of the city of hama, and killed 10,000 people mostly civilians. some regime opponents say the actual number was much higher, as much as 40,00 40,000 people. yet soon after, he fell out with his brother, and attempted his own coup in 1984. since then he has lived in exile in europe. smooth transition to his son the current syrian president, bashar al-assad. for nearly half a century the assad family has dominated the syrian state and then as now, that same family is up against many of those same opposition forces. david ariosto, al jazeera. >> earlier i spoke with ribal al assad, he heads the association for democracy and freedom. as his name suggests he's the first cousin to syrian president bashar al-assad. whom he oppos