One year later, Syria still boiling There are also e-mails from a man named Hosein Mortada, who -- according to his Facebook page -- is the Damascus bureau chief for two Iranian news networks. On Christmas Eve, Mortada apparently wrote to an al-Assad aide that al Qaeda should not be blamed for a recent attack. December 24 was the day Syrian troops began their onslaught on the Baba Amr neighborhood in Homs, according to activists. The next day, an apparent e-mail from Mortada said his "friends" in the city reported armed people in front of every door were threatening residents and forcing them to protest. The next day, with Arab League monitors on the ground in Syria, Mortada apparently e-mailed the same aide that Syrian supporters needed to make sure opposition members did not turn out in large numbers in public. "We need to take control of public squares during this period," he wrote. At the same time, groups affiliated with us will fill the squares ... so we don't leave them open for others, since the opposition is getting ready to move with the presence of the monitors. In this case, we will block their way and (prevent them) from reaching any square. How will the conflict play out? The reply in English: "Hahahahahahaha, OMG!!! One woman's year of love and fear In one e-mail exchange with an art dealer in London, Asma al-Assad, apparently using a false name, inquires about six artworks that all feature butterflies. The dealer responds that the works cost between $7,800 and $16,500. The art inquiry was sent October 28, the same day Syrian protesters staged a massive demonstration in the city of Hama, in which they called for an end to al-Assad's rule. On February 3 -- the same day opposition activists reported more than 200 killed in the "Homs massacre," and a day before the U.N. Security Council was scheduled to meet on Syria -- the first lady apparently e-mailed a friend asking whether she should reserve Christian Louboutin shoes costing as much as $7,000 a pair. "These are really iconic pieces for Spring and some fabulous styles," the e-mail says. Two days later, mortars and rockets rained down on Homs after the Security Council failed to pass a resolution aimed at stemming the violence. The same day, President al-Assad apparently e-mailed his wife the lyrics and audio file to a song by U.S. country singer Blake Shelton with the lyrics, "God gave me you for the ups and downs/God gave me you for the days of doubt." Opinion: How al-Assad fooled the world One of al-Assad's advisers apparently sent an e-mail containing a picture of a woman wearing only a G-string and a bra. Journalist Samya Ayish and CNN's Tracy Doueiry, Salma Abdelaziz, Saad Abedine, Hamdi Alkhshali, Yasmin Amir, Roba Alhenawi and John Vause contributed to this report.