Parents of Austin Tice, Held Hostage in Syria, Say He Is Alive

New York Times ^ | June 28, 2017 | MAYA SALAM

[huldah1776]

The parents of Austin Tice, the journalist and former Marine from Texas who was abducted in Syria in August 2012, said on Wednesday that they had reason to believe that their son was alive.

“We wouldn’t be sitting here talking to you if we didn’t — weren’t completely positive that Austin’s going to come home safely,” his father, Marc Tice, told Lester Holt in an interview on “NBC Nightly News.”

The Syrian government insists it does not know what happened to Mr. Tice or where he is. And his parents said that they had seen no proof that he was alive, they told Mr. Holt, aside from a YouTube video that was posted one month after Mr. Tice disappeared.

In the video, titled “Austin Tice Still Alive,” he appears blindfolded and disheveled, and is surrounded by masked men with rifles. He utters part of an Arabic prayer and says, “Oh, Jesus.”

[huldah1776]

It's been 5 years too long. Tice's parents were told by Obama that their son would be a high priority for his administration. When Trump was elected they were more hopeful.

[huldah1776]

Links

The Road to Damascus [good history]

In 2012 Houston native Austin Tice heeded a calling to become a journalist in war-ravaged Syria. His photographs, stories, and tweets shed new light on the conflict—until one day they stopped.

http://www.texasmonthly.com/articles/the-road-to-damascus/

*******

1/2/2017 = [now?] Austin Tice, Jounalist Held In Syria, Is Alive, White House Tells His Parents

http://www.npr.org/2017/01/02/507854074/journalist-austin-tice-held-in-syria-is-alive-obama-administration-tells-his-par

******

1/23/2017 = [why was this leaked NYT/deep state???] C.I.A. Set Up Secret Back Channel With Syria to Try to Free U.S. Hostage

https://www.nytimes.com/2017/06/23/world/middleeast/austin-tice-syria-cia-pompeo.html

[allendale]

Sadly he is just one more good, priceless American swallowed up and lost in the alien Mideast quagmire. Honor his memory but no lasting good came from his needless sacrifice.

[umgud]

I went to war and didn’t try to avoid it. That doesn’t mean I’d visit such a place for any other reason. I’m sorry for this kid, but if he were mine, I’d have begged him not to go.

[Nifster]

Ya runs your risk ya takes your chances

Negotiating for hostages is just bad policy

[Nifster]

Amen