Marc and Debra Tice, the dad and mom of American journalist Austin Tice (portrait, left), who was kidnapped in Syria greater than 12 years in the past, give a information convention in Beirut in 2018.
Joseph Eid/AFP through Getty Photos
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Joseph Eid/AFP through Getty Photos
After the beautiful fall of Syrian President Bashar al-Assad, U.S. officers say they’re working with sources on the bottom to get details about lacking American journalist Austin Tice, in keeping with nationwide safety adviser Jake Sullivan, who spoke to Good Morning America on Monday. Tice was captured in Syria greater than 12 years in the past.
“This is a top priority for us: to find Austin Tice, to locate the prison where he may be held, get him out, get him home safely to his family,” Sullivan stated.
This follows feedback made by President Biden on Sunday after Syrian rebels’ swift takeover of the nation.
“We are mindful that there are Americans in Syria,” Biden stated.
“We remain committed to return him to his family,” the president stated, referring to Tice. In response to shouted questions from reporters, Biden added: “We think we can get him out.”
Tice was captured in Syria in the summertime of 2012 whereas reporting on the battle there. His dad and mom have led a yearslong combat to free their son and have been in shut contact with the White Home underneath Presidents Barack Obama, Donald Trump and Biden, in addition to different authorities officers, relating to Tice’s case.
Tice’s dad and mom, Debra and Marc Tice, stated in a press release Monday that they continue to be constructive he can return residence.
“We are watching the events unfold in Syria and seeing families reunited with their loved ones after years of separation. We know this is possible for our family, too. Austin Tice is alive, in Syria, and it’s time for him to come home,” the assertion launched by the Press Freedom Middle on the Nationwide Press Membership stated. “We are eagerly anticipating seeing Austin walk free and we are asking anyone who can do so to please assist Austin so he can safely return home to our family.”
Who’s Austin Tice?
Initially from Houston, Tice, now 43, is a veteran captain of the U.S. Marine Corps and a Georgetown College graduate.
He determined to journey to Syria in Might 2012 and spend the summer season earlier than his remaining yr at Georgetown Regulation College working as a contract journalist overlaying Syria’s civil warfare for The Washington Put up, McClatchy and different information shops, in keeping with an internet site created by his household.
Austin Tice in Cairo in March 2012.
AFP through/Getty Photos
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AFP through/Getty Photos
He beforehand gained a number of awards for his reporting work, together with the 2012 George Polk Award for Struggle Reporting.
What are the circumstances of his disappearance?
In August 2012, Tice traveled simply south of Damascus, the Syrian capital, to report one in every of his remaining items. The Tice household says on its web site that he deliberate to go away for Lebanon on Aug. 14. However shortly after leaving the Damascus suburb of Darayya, he was detained at a checkpoint.
Tice was final seen by the world in a video launched a number of weeks after he was detained.
Within the 46-second video posted on YouTube, the journalist wears torn clothes and a blindfold and is being led by masked males with weapons. The video on the time urged that Islamic extremists had seized Tice, then 31.
For the reason that video’s launch, the U.S. authorities has stated that Tice is being held by the Syrian authorities. Nobody has publicly claimed duty for his seize or for the video. The Tice household says it has by no means acquired info or requests about what is required to safe his launch.
Marc Tice, the daddy of journalist Austin Tice, who was kidnapped in Syria, speaks to the media about his son’s situation on Dec. 6 throughout a information convention on the Nationwide Press Membership in Washington, D.C.
Jacquelyn Martin/AP
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Jacquelyn Martin/AP
Why are officers optimistic about his return, now?
The Syrian authorities underneath now-former President Bashar al-Assad has by no means acknowledged having Tice in custody.
However the U.S. authorities and the Tice household have repeatedly stated there’s proof that Tice is alive and imprisoned by the Assad regime.
Now that Assad has fled Syria and the insurgent group Hayat Tahrir al-Sham is in management, there’s hope that the nation’s new management would possibly assist find and return Tice residence.
The FBI issued a press release Monday renewing its name for details about Tice’s location, noting it’s nonetheless providing a reward of as much as $1 million for info resulting in Tice’s protected return.
