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June 25, 2015

Obama Unveils Shift on Ransom Efforts by Hostages' Families 
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President Obama has formally unveiled his policy shift on private
ransoms for U.S. hostages overseas. While the U.S. government will
continue to rule out paying ransoms to militant groups, it will stop
threatening to prosecute families who raise private funds to win their
loved ones' freedom.

President Obama: "It has been my solemn commitment to make sure that
they feel fully supported in their efforts to get their families home
and that there is a syncing up of what I know to be sincere, relentless
efforts within government and the families, who obviously have one
priority and one priority only, and that's getting their loved ones
back. These families have already suffered enough, and they should never
feel ignored or victimized by their own government."

The move follows criticism from family members of American hostages. A
number of U.S. captives have died in captivity while European hostages
were released after their governments paid a ransom.

 

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