keeping the regime in power. >> reporter: considered more brutal than his brother, the muscle in the family, maher al assad commands the 4th division and the republican guard, elite syrian military duties composed of mostly of muslims of the assad clan. but he's got something else in his portfolio. >> they've come to control the ghosts there, the paramilitary forces. >> reporter: forces that analysts say have carried out massacres of syrian villagers. maher's actions once led turkey's prime minister to publicly slam him saying he's, quote, chasing after savagery. ted katuuf is a former u.s. ambassador to syria who has met with the assad family. what is the influence he personally has over his brother? >> i think his brother has to be wary of him because he's a hot head and he's known to be a hot head and he's known to have not particularly great judgment, but, you know, when you're a head of a mafialike regime, you