Secret Syrian Intelligence Confirms Missing US Journalist Austin Tice Was Held by Assad Regime
New evidence from top secret Syrian intelligence files, uncovered by the BBC, has definitively confirmed that missing American journalist Austin Tice was imprisoned by the regime of former Syrian President Bashar al-Assad. This finding, corroborated by testimony from former Syrian officials, directly contradicts the Assad regime’s long-standing denials about Tice’s whereabouts following his disappearance over a decade ago.
The Mystery of Austin Tice’s Disappearance
Austin Tice, a freelance journalist and former U.S. Marine Captain, vanished near Damascus, Syria, in August 2012, shortly after his 31st birthday. He had traveled to Syria to report on the unfolding civil war.
Around seven weeks after his disappearance, a video surfaced online showing him blindfolded and bound, seemingly forced to recite an Islamic declaration of faith by a group of armed men. However, both analysts and U.S. officials quickly questioned the authenticity of this video, suggesting the scene may have been staged. No group or government ever claimed responsibility for his abduction, fueling widespread speculation and concern regarding his fate.
Intelligence Files Uncovered After Fall of Assad Regime
The intelligence files providing this crucial confirmation of Tice’s imprisonment were discovered as part of a BBC investigation that began over a year ago, tied to a Radio 4 podcast series. The significant breakthrough occurred after the fall of the Assad regime in early December 2024, amidst efforts to search intelligence facilities for information on missing persons and crimes committed by the regime. A Syrian investigator, accompanied by the BBC team, located files specifically labeled “Austin Tice.”
These files, comprising communications from different branches of Syrian intelligence, have undergone verification for authenticity by both the BBC and law enforcement. Their discovery represents the first concrete, documented evidence to surface of the Syrian regime’s direct involvement in Tice’s detention since search efforts intensified following Assad’s removal from power.
Details of Early Detention Emerge from Secret Documents
A “top secret” communication within the discovered intelligence files confirms that Austin Tice was held in a detention facility located in the Syrian capital, Damascus, in 2012. Additional sources and a former senior Syrian intelligence officer have further pinpointed this location as being in Tahouneh.
Evidence suggests Tice is understood to have been arrested near the Damascus suburb of Darayya and subsequently held by members of the National Defence Forces (NDF), a paramilitary group known for its loyalty to President Assad. A Syrian official confirmed to the BBC that Tice remained in NDF custody until at least February 2013.
During this initial period of captivity, Tice reportedly developed stomach issues and required medical treatment from a doctor on at least two occasions. Blood tests conducted at the time are said to have revealed he was suffering from a viral infection.
According to one individual who visited the detention facility and saw Tice there, while he was treated better than the Syrian detainees also held there, “he looked sad, and that the joy had gone from his face.”
Seen as a “Card” for Diplomatic Leverage
Significantly, a former NDF member with intimate knowledge of Austin Tice’s detention conveyed to the BBC that “Austin’s value was understood” within the group. This indicates that Tice was viewed as a potential “card” that could be strategically used in possible diplomatic negotiations or leverage with the United States.
The intelligence findings and corroborating testimony also suggest that Tice attempted a brief escape from captivity by squeezing through a window in his cell, but he was later recaptured. He was also subjected to interrogations by a Syrian government intelligence officer at least twice. These attempts at escape and interrogation are believed to have occurred between late 2012 and early 2013.
His Whereabouts Still Unknown
Despite the new evidence confirming his early imprisonment by the regime, Austin Tice was not found when prisons were emptied following the collapse of the Assad government in December 2024. His current location remains unknown.
At the time of Assad’s ouster, then-U.S. President Joe Biden publicly stated his belief that Tice was still alive. Just two days prior, Tice’s mother, Debra Tice, also reported receiving confirmation from a “significant source” that her son was alive and reportedly being treated well.
The existence and findings of these intelligence files seen by the BBC are known to the Tice family, U.S. authorities, and a Syrian group actively working to gather information on crimes committed by the former Assad regime.
Austin Tice is widely believed to be one of the longest-held American hostages. His parents, Debra and Marc Tice, have led a tireless, high-profile campaign to highlight their son’s disappearance and secure his safe return. His case highlights the plight of potentially thousands vanished within the vast and complex detention system under the Assad regime, under which monitoring groups like the Syrian Network for Human Rights estimate 100,000 people disappeared. The newly uncovered evidence provides crucial, albeit heartbreaking, clarity, definitively proving the fallen regime’s denials regarding Austin Tice’s detention were false.
References
- https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/cn84z5e8jjzo
- https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/cn84z5e8jjzo
- https://en.apa.az/asia/secret-syrian-intelligence-files-show-missing-us-journalist-was-imprisoned-by-assad-regime-469171
- https://ec.militarytimes.com/ebb/
