Middle East

A Reward For The Safe Return Of Robert Levinson

This copy photograph of a paper printout obtained by The Associated Press shows Robert Levinson. Long after he vanished in Iran, the retired FBI agent reappeared in a video and a series of photographs sent to his family over the past year, transforming a

Five years ago retired FBI agent Robert Levinson disappeared in Iran.

It’s been five years since retired FBI agent Robert Levinson disappeared in Iran. He had travelled to Iran’s Kish Island on private business in March 2007 and suddenly vanished.

The U.S. State Department announced in 2011 there were indications that Robert Levinson was being held captive by a group in southwest Asia. The Levinson family released a hostage video they had been sent showing Mr. Levinson in a make-shift cell, appealing for help.

This month, on the fifth anniversary of his disappearance, Secretary of State Hillary Clinton said in a statement that the U.S. is reaffirming its commitment to locating Mr. Levinson and bringing him home safely.

The Federal Bureau of Investigation, the FBI, is now offering a one million dollar reward for information leading to his recovery and return to the United States.

At a press conference announcing the reward, James McJunkin, Assistant Director of the FBI’s Washington Field Office, spoke of the suffering of Mr. Levinson’s family:

“He’s been gone five years. The hardship on this family is untold,” said Mr. McJunkin. “We are hoping that somewhere, somewhere in the world, that someone has information that’ll help bring him home, and it’s more of a humanitarian message. If I had one to underscore, that’d be it.”

Robert Levinson is sixty four years old. He suffers from diabetes and has lost a significant amount of weight since his abduction.

Anyone with information on his whereabouts is urged to contact the nearest U.S. embassy or consulate; submit a tip to the FBI at https://tips.fbi.gov; or contact the Levinson family via their website: www.helpboblevinson.com.

All tips will remain anonymous.

Secretary of State Clinton said that the U.S. “will continue to use all available resources until [Mr. Levinson] is home and reunited with his family.”