Syrian head of state Bashar al-Assad and London-born wife Asma al-Assad appear to live in a surreal psychological bubble, insulated from the grotesque violence that has claimed the lives of 8,000 Syrians, according to a cache of some 3,000 alleged emails and documents obtained by Syrian activists and published by the Guardian issue dated March 15, 2012. File photo : © Ammar Abd Rabbo/ABACA. EXCLUSIVE. 40867-10. London-UK, 18/12/2002. Syrian president Bashar Al Assad poses with wife Asma and their one year old son Hafez in London before their departure after a three day visit.