Tal al-Mallohi, a 19-year-old blogger, was arrested in Syria in December. After holding her without charge for nine months — during which, until last week, she was not allowed to see her family — the authorities have finally bothered to make something up. Not an official charge, mind you, but a background comment to a Daily Telegraph reporter:

“She was detained on accusation of spying for a foreign country,” the Syrian official said. “Her spying led to an attack against a Syrian army officer by the agents of this foreign country.”

The official did not specify which country Ms al-Mallohi allegedly spied for or elaborate on the attack on the Syrian officer.

In February, President Obama appointed an ambassador to Syria for the first time since 2005; the appointment has been stalled in the Senate.