Clues Emerge on Robert Levinson, C.I.A. Consultant Who Vanished in Iran

[Jackson]

Clues Emerge on Robert Levinson, C.I.A. Consultant Who Vanished in Iran
When the United States and Iran swapped prisoners last week, nothing was said to resolve the mystery about another captive: Robert A. Levinson, a Central Intelligence Agency consultant who disappeared in Iran in 2007.

Iranian leaders have long said that they knew nothing about the missing American, and United States officials have said that he may no longer be in Iran — or even still alive.

Aside from a hostage video and photographs of him in an orange jumpsuit five years ago, there had been no public clues about his fate.

But newly disclosed documents suggest that Iranian officials knew far more about Mr. Levinson. In late 2011, a top Iranian diplomat acknowledged that his country was holding the American and would release him if the United States helped delay an assessment criticizing Iran’s nuclear activities, the documents say.

Iranian officials maintained that they did not know Mr. Levinson’s whereabouts or status during recent negotiations that resulted in the prisoner exchange last week.

The Obama administration has never challenged Iran’s position, but law enforcement officials say they believe that factions tied to that country’s intelligence, political or religious leadership were involved in his capture and detention.

Memo in article

The assurances the Iranian diplomat sought in late 2011 in return for Mr. Levinson’s release involved assistance from the United States in delaying a report about to be released by the United Nations nuclear watchdog, the International Atomic Energy Agency.

The I.A.E.A. had concluded that Iran had used its nuclear energy program, which it claimed was for peaceful purposes, to try to develop weapons.

http://www.nytimes.com/2016/01/23/w...cia-consultant-who-vanished-in-iran.html?_r=0

 

[waltky]

We still want to know - What has become of Bob Levinson?...

Is Robert Levinson, Missing in Iran for 9 Years, a Hostage? State Department Sidesteps
March 10, 2016 – A reporter asked State Department spokesman John Kirby on Wednesday whether the administration considers Robert Levinson, the retired FBI agent who went missing in Iran nine years ago, a “hostage,” but in an exchange that lasted three-and-a-half minutes, Kirby sidestepped the question.

The FBI, Secretary of State John Kerry and White House press secretary Josh Earnest all issued statements Wednesday marking the ninth anniversary of Levinson’s disappearance. An FBI special agent for 22 years before retiring in 1998, the now 68-year-old was last seen on Iran’s Kish island on March 9, 2007. While the FBI statement described him as “the longest-held hostage in American history,” neither Kerry’s statement nor Earnest’s used the word.

At the daily State Department briefing, the Associated Press’ Matt Lee asked Kirby whether that reflected a difference of opinion about Levinson’s status. “What I would say is this, that when you look at the FBI’s statement, we would certainly agree with the FBI that he’s been gone too long and that he needs to be returned to his family,” Kirby said. He continued in similar vein, saying the U.S. has “pressed” Iran to provide more information, before Lee tried again: “Does the administration regard him as a hostage?”

“What I’ll tell you, again, is we think it’s time for him to come home and we want more information about his whereabouts,” Kirby replied. Lee said he was raising the question because, during the Iran nuclear negotiations the administration did not use the word “hostage” to describe either Levinson or other Americans being held in Iran. (The others were Washington Post reporter Jason Rezaian, convicted of espionage last year; Pastor Saeed Abedini, sentenced in early 2013 to an eight-year prison term after being convicted of “crimes against national security”; and former U.S. Marine Amir Hekmati, sentenced to death, later overturned, for spying. They were released in January, along with an American researcher, Matthew Trevithick, in exchange for clemency for seven Iranians who were serving sentences or awaiting trial in the United States.)

Lee wondered whether the FBI calling Levinson a hostage meant his case was different to those of the other Americans, whose whereabouts, unlike his, were known. “Or should we come to the conclusion that, in fact, they all were hostages and there’s still one left?” he asked Kirby. “What we know is that he disappeared, and he disappeared in 2007 from Kish Island,” Kirby said. “Unfortunately, there’s not a lot more that we do know. And that’s what we’re trying to learn, and it’s why we’re going to continue to hold Iran to its promise to provide more information about his whereabouts.”

MORE

 

[shadow355]

The last picture I seen of him , he appeared in good health.

Other than his beard he had good skin, eyes looked ok - no bags under the eyes ; whites of his eyes had no abnormalities and his pupils appeared ok to me .

Hair was clean and free of dirt . Ears were not abnormal. Neck was alright, forehead and nose was normal.

All pictures I seen of him; he was free of any sunburn .

No appearance or evidence that I seen that he had been beaten or unfairly interrogated .

I , myself..... Am not sure he is a captive .

Why the beard - Respect from the Iranians?

Something to think about.

Shadow 355

 

[waltky]

Granny says, "Dat's right - freeze dey's assets till dey return him...

Robert Levinson’s Son Urges Trump to ‘Annoy’ Iran Into Finding Father
March 10, 2017 | WASHINGTON — The son of a former U.S. FBI agent who went missing in Iran 10 years ago is urging the Trump administration to “constantly annoy” Tehran into locating his father, whom he believes is still alive.

Daniel Levinson spoke to VOA’s Persian service in Washington on Thursday, the 10th anniversary of the disappearance of his father, Robert Levinson. “Simply asking for the Iranian government’s help in locating my dad is not going to be enough anymore,” Daniel Levinson said. He said the Trump administration should “constantly annoy” Iranian authorities by negotiating through private channels.

Retired FBI agent Robert Levinson. His family received these photographs in April 2011.​

He also wrote a column in The Washington Post saying that if Iran fails to act, President Donald Trump should impose more sanctions on the country or declare its Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps a terrorist organization. Robert Levinson, whose 69th birthday is Friday, disappeared March 9, 2007, while visiting Iran’s Kish Island as a private investigator. He had retired from a 22-year career with the FBI, and six years before that with the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration.

Various reports

In 2013, the Associated Press reported that Levinson had been part of a rogue CIA intelligence mission, a claim that U.S. authorities have not confirmed. In 2010, his family received a proof-of-life video of Levinson looking gaunt in an orange jumpsuit and pleading with U.S. authorities to help him. But there was no word on who was holding Levinson or why, and no images of him have been released since. His family has said it believes Iranian authorities detained him, but Tehran has repeatedly denied knowledge of his whereabouts.

Timeline on Robert Levinson's disappearance​

In his interview with VOA Persian, Daniel Levinson said FBI officials have told the family that they have no evidence that he is not alive. “There has been information that has trickled in over the years that showed signs that my dad was being held, had been moved around, and I believe that’s the case,” he said. Daniel Levinson said his family, who lives in Coral Springs, Florida, hopes to meet the president and other administration officials in Washington in the coming days. “Trump is a dealmaker,” he said. “I think that it’s going to require a deal to get my dad home and a dialogue between the two sides.”

Trump campaign promise

 

[waltky]

Granny says, "Dat's right - sue dey's socks off...

Iranian Leaks About Missing American Led Levinson Family to Sue Iran
March 23, 2017 | WASHINGTON — A U.S. lawyer for the family of a former FBI agent who went missing in Iran 10 years ago says the family is suing Tehran for damages based in part on leaked information from Iranian sources.

“Iran, like the United States, leaks information,” said attorney David McGee in an interview with VOA Persian’s LateNews program Wednesday. McGee represents the Florida-based family of the missing American, Robert Levinson. “There are people who are in a position to know and who have talked, who have identified Bob as being in Iranian custody during this period of time.” McGee did not identify the Iranian sources of that information.

Christine Levinson (center) wife of Robert Levinson, and her children, Dan and Samantha Levinson, talk to reporters in New York​

Levinson’s wife and seven children filed the lawsuit in the U.S. District Court of the District of Columbia on Tuesday. The legal action seeks unspecified damages for injuries suffered by family members who accuse Iran of “unlawful acts of hostage taking, torture and other torts.” A tort is a wrongful act, other than a breach of contract, which results in injury to another person’s property or to his/her body, mind or emotions.

An FBI poster showing a composite image of former FBI agent Robert Levinson (right) of how he would look like now after five years in captivity, and an image (center) taken from the video, released by his kidnappers, and a picture before he was kidnapped displayed during a news conference in Washington. It’s been 10 years since former FBI agent Robert Levinson disappeared while in Iran.​

Levinson disappeared March 9, 2007 while visiting Iran’s Kish Island as a private investigator. He had retired from a 22-year career with the FBI nine years earlier. In 2013, several U.S. news outlets reported that Levinson had been part of a rogue CIA intelligence mission, a claim that U.S. authorities have not confirmed. Iranian officials have long denied knowledge of his whereabouts.

Timeline on Robert Levinson's disappearance​

McGee said the family also is basing its lawsuit on an April 4, 2007, report by Iranian state-run news agency Press TV, that quoted anonymous sources as saying Iranian security forces had detained Levinson at the time he went missing and were likely to release him within days. The original report has since been removed from the web. “The Iranian government also has subsequently attempted to use Levinson as a bargaining chip in its nuclear negotiations (with world powers), offering to have him released in return for concessions by the United States,” McGee said.

Nuclear deal, detainees freed[/center]

 

[Jackson]

The last picture I seen of him , he appeared in good health.

Other than his beard he had good skin, eyes looked ok - no bags under the eyes ; whites of his eyes had no abnormalities and his pupils appeared ok to me .

Hair was clean and free of dirt . Ears were not abnormal. Neck was alright, forehead and nose was normal.

All pictures I seen of him; he was free of any sunburn .

No appearance or evidence that I seen that he had been beaten or unfairly interrogated .

I , myself..... Am not sure he is a captive .

Why the beard - Respect from the Iranians?

Something to think about.

Shadow 355

What did you suspect with his nose? How could you tell his ears were not abnormal?
BTW< It is "HAVE seen" or "saw"..not "I seen." That drives me crazy!