Austin American-Statesman

CIA, Syria talked on freeing U.S. hostage

- Adam Goldman ©2017 New York Times

In the early WASHINGTON — days of the Trump administra­tion, national security officials began exploring ways to free Austin Tice, an American journalist and former Marine officer believed to be held by the Syrian government.

Tice’s case has frustrated investigat­ors and diplomats since he disappeare­d while on assignment nearly five years ago.

White House officials decided, because of the sensitivit­y of the situation, to set up a back channel. Given the deteriorat­ed relations between the United States and Syria, options were limited. So in early February, CIA Director Mike Pompeo spoke with Ali Mamlouk, the head of Syria’s National Security Bureau intelligen­ce service, who had been accused of human rights abuses during the country’s civil war and slapped with sanctions by the United States. The call was the highest-level contact between the government­s in years.

Though Pompeo’s discussion with Mamlouk prompted further communicat­ions that renewed hope the Houston resident would be freed, the operation fizzled after the Syrian government’s nerve gas attack in rebel-held northern Syria in April and the U.S. missile strike in response, according to several former U.S. officials who spoke on condition of anonymity because efforts to free Tice remain secret.

The plight of Americans held hostage by reclusive foreign government­s has gotten renewed attention since the death Monday of Otto F. Warmbier, a 22-year-old college student arrested in North Korea in January 2016 then released last week in an unexplaine­d comatose state. Many of the most difficult cases involve nations — like Syria — that have no diplomatic relations with the United States, giving U.S. officials little leverage to negotiate.

While Warmbier was put on trial and his family knew he was being held by the North Korean government, Tice’s case has been a conundrum. The United States believes the Syrian government is holding him, but it has no proof. Syria denies knowing anything.

“Austin Tice is not in the hands of Syrian authoritie­s and we don’t have any informatio­n about him at all,” Deputy Foreign Minister Faisal Mekdad said last year.

Despite its antagonist­ic relationsh­ip with the United States, there is ample motive and precedent for the Syrian government to speak with high-level U.S. officials. Before the civil war, there were several such contacts, including one in 2010 between Mamlouk and the State Department.

Even after the war broke out and the United States adopted a policy of pushing for Assad’s ouster, Syrian officials were open to communicat­ing with Americans, diplomats say.

“The Syrian government would like to reduce the extent of its isolation,” said Robert S. Ford, a U.S. ambassador to Damascus during the Obama administra­tion. “The Syrians are a very supple, nasty group. They’re willing to talk all the time. That’s just how they do business.”

 ??  ?? Austin Tice is thought to be held by Syria’s government.
Austin Tice is thought to be held by Syria’s government.

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