As Syrian activists died during a brutal government crackdown, the country's leader was buying songs off iTunes and perusing the web for luxury items, according to freshly revealed emails.

Other emails sent by Basha-al-Assad to his inner sanctum show that the Syrian president listens to pop artists like Chris Brown and watches reality shows like "America's Got Talent."

The emails, part of a "secret cache" obtained by Britain's Guardian newspaper, offer a unique perspective on the inner workings of a besieged regime as it waged a bloody campaign against anti-government forces

The emails were released after a mole in the Assad regime leaked a username and password to an opposition group known as the Supreme Council of the Revolution.

About 3,000 emails were intercepted, starting in June of 2011. The leak wasn't discovered until February, giving activists months of unfettered access to two inboxes.

While some of Assad's emails reveal his wife's taste for luxury items like diamond-encrusted shoes and imported vases, others detail his political activities amid the tragic and prolonged revolt.

In one exchange, Assad took cues from Iran and its allies about the best way to handle the vehement uprising against his government.

Shortly before he delivered a speech in December, Assad was presented by an aid with a long list of advice that came from "consultations with a good number of people in addition to the media and political adviser for the Iranian ambassador."

The message advised Assad to use "powerful and violent" words to intimidate his people.

Other points in the memo suggest that Assad's regime should leak military data to show that the government was strong enough to withstand a prolonged uprising.

A year ago, rebellion broke out in the Middle Eastern country as a wave of pro-democracy movements swept the region.

Since then, an estimated 8,000 Syrians have been killed, and Assad's regime has become increasingly isolated globally.

Though Washington imposed strict sanctions on Damascus as news of the brutal crackdown spread last year, Assad appears to have maintained his love for American culture.

Assad even went so far as to use a third-party to buy songs and apps off iTunes for his iPad, including tracks from Chris Brown and Right Said Fred.

Other emails show how Assad procured consumer goods for his wife through a company based in Dubai.

In one exchange with a cousin in July, the president's wife attempted to place an order for customized jewellry from a design house in Paris.

She signed off with: "Kisses to you both, and don't worry, we are well!"