WASHINGTON, April 29 (UPI) -- The Federal Bureau of Investigation assisted with a family's attempt to pay a ransom to terrorists aimed at securing the release of an American held captive for nearly four years, the Wall Street Journal reported Wednesday.
Warren Weinstein, 73, was abducted in Pakistan in 2011 by members of al-Qaida. The group's leader subsequently confirmed that they were holding him captive and made ransom demands. The White house refused the ransom, citing the U.S. government's longstanding policy of not negotiating with terrorists.
Weinstein's family, however, wished to pay a ransom, hoping it would lead to his release. In June 2012, the FBI assisted the family with the delivery to an intermediary in Pakistan, the Journal reported.
The family raised $250,000, and the FBI found the Pakistani intermediary and vetted him for the payment delivery -- however, despite receiving the money, al-Qaida did not release Weinstein.
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In January, Weinstein and an Italian hostage were killed in a drone strike orchestrated by the Central Intelligence Agency on an al-Qaida compound in Pakistan. President Barack Obama last week apologized for the errant strike and said the administration's policy concerning drone strikes is being re-evaluated.
The U.S. government has long held steady in its policy of not dealing with hostage-takers, for fear it would lead to further hostage situations in the future. In this case, U.S. officials said the agents didn't directly authorize or approve the ransom payment, and thus didn't violate the policy, the Journal reported.
"The notion that by offering a concession or even a payment, that that could result in the release of your loved one, that seems like a rather attractive option," White House spokesman Josh Earnest said. "Unfortunately, this is a policy that's in place because ... paying ransom or offering a concession to a terrorist organization may result in the saving of one innocent life, but could put countless other innocent lives at greater risk."
Earnest called the commitment to the "no negotiation" policy a "painful" one.
Weinstein remained in captivity for nearly four years until his death. U.S. officials were never able to seriously consider a rescue operation because intelligence was reportedly never able to determine his whereabouts.
