hostages

Police respond to a suspecter terror attack in Trebes, southern France, on March 23, 2018. (Newsflare/Tarbouriech Roseline via AP)

March 23, 2018, 6:23 pm

Netanyahu, Rivlin condemn ‘brutal’ French terror attack

After 3 people killed by IS gunman in southern France, PM says ‘civilized world must unite and work together’ to defeat terrorism

By TOI staff and Agencies

In this image from video released by Taliban Media in December 2016, Caitlan Coleman talks in the video while her Canadian husband Joshua Boyle holds their two children. (Taliban Media via AP)

October 14, 2017, 7:50 am

Rescued hostages return to Canada, say 1 child killed by Taliban

US-Canadian family arrive home after being held in Afghanistan for 5 years

By MARTIN BENEDYK, Rob Gillies and Jill Colvin

Juergen Vietor (3rd L), former co-pilot of the old Boeing 737 plane seen next to him, former flight attendant Gabriele von Lutzau (L) and former flight passenger Diana Muell (2nd L) pose in front of the former "Landshut" aircraft of German airline Lufthansa, in the cargo space of an Antonov AN 124 cargo plane after landing at the airport in Friedrichshafen, southern Germany, on September 23, 2017. ( AFP PHOTO / dpa / Karl-Josef Hildenbrand )

September 23, 2017, 5:21 pm

Last flight home for icon of ‘German Autumn’ of terror

40 years ago, plane was freed from Palestinian hijackers by a German commando unit formed after Munich Olympic massacre

By Frank Zeller

This image taken from video shows a foreign hostage who was among seven seized in Niger in 2010 by al-Qaeda in the Islamic Maghreb. Seated on the left is Abou Zeid (photo credit: AP/SITE)

July 2, 2017, 9:20 am

Al-Qaeda in Mali releases video showing 6 foreign hostages alive

Publication of film comes as French president visits country to discuss ongoing fight against jihadists

By AFP

The body of a suspected terrorist, at background left, lies on the ground while police control the scene at the shrine of late Iranian revolutionary founder Ayatollah Khomeini, just outside Tehran, Iran, Wednesday, June 7, 2017 (AP Photo/Ebrahim Noroozi)

June 7, 2017, 12:53 pm

Islamic State claims attack on Iranian parliament, ayatollah shrine

Eight said killed, 4 taken hostage in Tehran assaults; suicide bomber, gunmen hit Khomeini’s tomb in a coordinated strike

By TOI staff

A man hands a child to a security guard from Iran's parliament building after an assault of several attackers, in Tehran, Iran, June 7, 2017 (Fars News Agency, Omid Vahabzadeh via AP)

June 7, 2017, 10:11 am

7 said killed, 4 taken hostage in raid on Iranian parliament

Meanwhile, 1 person killed as suicide bomber and gunmen hit Khomeini’s tomb in a coordinated attack; Islamic State claims responsibility

By Sue Surkes

US Attorney General Jeff Sessions speaks during a press conference at the US Justice Department on March 2, 2017, in Washington DC. (AFP/ Nicholas Kamm)

April 7, 2017, 11:37 am

US Justice Dept. awards more than $800m to victims of attacks

Iran hostages, victims of embassy bombings and the 2000 attack on the USS Cole receive compensation from special fund

By AP

An FBI poster shown in Washington during a news conference shows a composite image of former FBI agent Robert Levinson, right, of how he would look like now, and a photo from a video released by his captors in 2010, left, March 6, 2012. (AP Photo/ Manuel Balce Ceneta, File)

March 26, 2017, 7:36 pm

In lawsuit, ex-FBI agent’s family accuse Iran of torturing them

Relatives of Robert Levinson say Islamic Republic using him to extract concessions from US, lying about its role in his capture

By Jon Gambrell

March 22, 2017, 10:53 am

Family of Jewish ex-FBI agent sues Iran over disappearance

Lawsuit filed in Washington accuses Tehran of using deception and lies to hide role in Robert Levinson‘s imprisonment

By TOI staff and Agencies

March 9, 2017, 10:59 pm

White House presses Iran for info on ex-FBI agent, offers $5m reward

Trump administration vows to locate Robert Levinson, days after family of Jewish-American operative call on president to help

By TOI staff and Agencies

Undated photo of CIA contractor and retired FBI agent Robert Levinson (AP/Levinson Family)

March 6, 2017, 1:34 pm

Family calls on Trump to bring back Jewish American from Iran

Relatives of Robert Levinson, ‘longest-held hostage in American history,’ demand president fulfill his campaign promise

By TOI staff

One of the hostages held by Somali pirates reacts as he arrives at the Jomo Kenyatta International Airport in Nairobi on October 23, 2016, after being freed with other hostages. (AFP)

October 24, 2016, 7:37 pm

Hostages held by Somali pirates for 5 years ate rats to survive

Ex-British army colonel negotiates release of 26 kidnapped Asian sailors, who describe some of the inhumane conditions they endured

By AFP and TOI staff

House Foreign Affairs Committee Chairman Congressman Ed Royce during the committee's hearing on Iran, September 14, 2016. (AP Photo/Jacquelyn Martin)

September 14, 2016, 8:58 pm

House panel approves bill prohibiting cash payments to Iran

Legislation comes a week after Obama administration acknowledged it paid Tehran $1.7 billion in cash installments

By Richard Lardner

Then-US Secretary of State John Kerry with Iran's Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif April 19, 2016, at the United Nations in New York. (AFP/Don Emmert)

September 7, 2016, 12:22 pm

US payment of $1.7 billion to Iran made entirely in cash

$400 million used as leverage to free American hostages; remaining money paid from Treasury discretionary fund

By Richard Lardner

In this Jan. 17, 2016 file photo, President Barack Obama speaks about the release of Americans by Iran, in the Cabinet Room of the White House in Washington. (AP/Jacquelyn Martin)

August 27, 2016, 6:26 pm

Obama’s $400m cash payout to Iran is unprecedented, say legal experts

No other transaction in US history has involved a planeload of bills, say diplomatic historians, raising questions about payment timed to help free prisoners

By Bradley Klapper