Matt Schrier. CBS
Former al Qaida Hostage Recounts Nightmare – Of Dealing With FBI -- McClatchy News
WASHINGTON — The only thing as bad as being tortured for months as a captive of jihadists in Syria was dealing with the U.S. government afterward, according to one former American hostage.
Matt Schrier, 36, a freelance photographer held by extremists for seven months in 2013 until he escaped, has told McClatchy that the bureaucracy he endured upon his return home was a second kind of nightmare following the months of abuse he suffered while he was a hostage.
“I never thought it would get this bad,” Schrier said.
The FBI never told his father that he had been kidnapped. It waited six months into his capture to produce a wanted poster, and only after his mother prodded. It allowed jihadist forces to empty his bank account – $17,000 – with purchases on eBay, even as the government warned hostage families not to pay ransom so as not to run afoul of anti-terrorism laws.
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My Comment: The U.S. government is not your ally or friend .... a sobering realization for this former hostage.
If the government had told his family that he was kidnapped right away, they might have prevented his bank accounts from being emptied.
ReplyDeleteIf the government is so keen in ransoms not being paid, you would think they would be equally keen about bank accounts not being emptied. Looks like the government dropped the ball form being slow, indifferent or worse they were manging perceptions. If there is no known hostages, there is no problem until ISIS brings them forward. Best to hold off that day until ISIS forces our hands. At least that seems to be the thinking.
Changing the SS# seems terribly long in the age of the internet. It should have take around 2 weeks IMO. 6 months is way too long.
I don't think the government has the obligation to rescue him if he walked into a dangerous situation of his own volition.
Many years ago the government told us if we got involved in the drug trade by purchasing them for recreational use, they would do nothing for us except for a proforma visit by embassy staff. that is there would be one visit by staff asking "How we were" but really not meaning it. So in that regard how is this guy special?
"I don't think the government has the obligation to rescue him if he walked into a dangerous situation of his own volition."
ReplyDeleteOn this I'm with you Aizino. A lot of these guys think they have the shield of "I'm an enlightened wonderful person" invulnerability until reality grabs their ass, then it's save me, save me!
I will say the US government can be real jackasses though and don't consider the ramifications to their behavior in these situations.