Robert Levinson
| Robert Levinson | |
|---|---|
Robert Levinson while in captivity, taken November 2010
|
|
| Born | March 10, 1948 |
| Disappeared | March 9, 2007 (aged 58) Kish Island |
| Status | Missing for 10 years, 9 months and 10 days |
| Nationality | American |
| Known for | Disappearance in Iran |
Robert Alan "Bob" Levinson (born March 10, 1948) is an American former Drug Enforcement Administration and Federal Bureau of Investigation agent who disappeared mysteriously in 2007 in Kish Island, Iran. He is believed to be currently held captive by the government of Iran. He disappeared on March 9, 2007, when visiting Iran's Kish Island while supposedly researching a cigarette smuggling case. U.S. officials believed Levinson had been arrested by Iranian intelligence officials to be interrogated and used as a bargaining chip in negotiations with Washington. But as every lead fizzled and Iran repeatedly denied any involvement in his disappearance, many in the U.S. government believed Levinson was probably dead. He was subsequently revealed to be alive. On December 12, 2013, the Associated Press reported that their investigations revealed that Levinson had been working for the Central Intelligence Agency (CIA), contradicting the U.S.'s statement that he was not an employee of the government at the time of his capture.
In an interview, Iranian President Hassan Rouhani spoke of cooperation regarding Levinson's case. "We are willing to help, and all the intelligence services in the region can come together to gather information about him to find his whereabouts." John Miller of CBS described this statement as a "tacit admission that he's in their custody and that there have been talks".
On April 4, 2007, a little over three weeks after Levinson was arrested, an article by Iranian state-run PressTV stated that he "has been in the hands of Iranian security forces since the early hours of March 9" and "authorities are well on the way to finishing the procedural arrangements that could see him freed in a matter of days". The same article explained that it was established that Levinson's trip to Kish "was purely that of a private businessman looking to make contact with persons who could help him make representations to official Iranian bodies responsible for suppressing trade in pirated products which is a major concern of his company".
...
Wikipedia