Family of FBI agent missing in Iran releases video from his captors

Robert Levinson, an FBI agent, disappeared in Iran almost five years ago.

For four years, they didn’t whether he was dead or alive — and if he was alive, who had him. But that all changed last November, when the family received a video from his captors. It gave them renewed hope and the State Department renewed purpose in attempting to negotiate for his release.

“I have been held here for 3.5 years. I am not in very good health. I am running very quickly out of diabetes medication. I have been treated well, but I need the help of the United States government to answer the requests of the group that has held me. Please help me get home,” Levinson said in the video.

The only problem? No one really knows who has him. He was in Iran to investigate cigarette smuggling for a private client. Levinson was on Kish Island in March 2007, meeting an American fugitive, Dawud Salahuddin.

Now, a year after receiving the video, the family is releasing it publicly in an effort to find out what the people who have Levinson want. They said they’ve received an email this year with pictures of him, giving them further hope that Levinson remains alive.

Christine Levinson, the wife of Levinson, said while she recognized her husband immediately in the video, she said she was very distressed that she couldn’t bring her husband home.

“They have not gotten back in touch with us and told us what we need to do to get Bob back home with us,” she said.

Christine Levinson said this dramatic change of strategy is an effort to try and bring about a resolution to a situation that has gone on for five years.

“We’ve been quiet for a year about the video and nothing has happened. I believe that now is time to release the video and to try and get this resolved,” she said.