|
“We think we can get him back," Biden told reporters at the
White House, while acknowledging that “we have no direct
evidence” of his status. "Assad should be held accountable.”
Biden said officials must still identify exactly where Tice is
after his disappearance in August 2012 at a checkpoint in a
contested area west of Damascus.
“We've remained committed to returning him to his family,” he
said.
Tice, who is from Houston, has had his work published by The
Washington Post, McClatchy newspapers and other outlets.
A video released weeks after Tice went missing showed him
blindfolded and held by armed men and saying, “Oh, Jesus.” He
has not been heard from since. Syria has publicly denied that it
was holding him.
The United States has no new evidence that Tice is alive, but
continues to operate under that assumption, according to a U.S.
official. The official, who was not authorized to comment
publicly and spoke on condition of anonymity, said the U.S. will
continue to work to identify where he is and to try to bring him
home.
His mother, Debra, said at a news conference Friday in
Washington that the family had information from a “significant
source,” whom she did not identify, establishing that her son
was alive.
“He is being cared for and he is well — we do know that,” she
said.
The Tice family met this past week with officials at the State
Department and the White House.
“To everyone in Syria that hears this, please remind people that
we’re waiting for Austin,” Debra Tice said in comments that
hostage advocacy groups spread on social media Sunday. “We know
that when he comes out, he’s going to be fairly dazed and he’s
going to need lots of care and direction. Direct him to his
family please!”
All contents © copyright 2024 Associated Press. All rights
reserved |
|
