An American journalist missing in Syria: what happened?

I'm Ayesha Roscoe, and you're listening to The Sunday Story. Under the regime of Bashar al-Assad, Syria had the highest number of journalists held hostage, according to a report from the non-profit organization Reporters Without Borders. And one of the most famous hostages in Syria is American journalist Austin Tice. Tice's disappearance in Syria 14 years ago is considered one of the biggest unsolved missing person cases of our time. Despite the efforts of Austin Tice's family and world leaders calling for his release, little is known about what happened to him or where he might be. Over the last few years, BBC investigative journalists Josh Baker and Sarah Obadat have been following Tice's trail. During their investigation, they've discovered a complicated story of power struggles, secret documents, and people who do not want this story to be told. Today on The Sunday Story, we bring you the first episode of a new series from NPR's Embedded that details Josh and Sarah's years-long journey to find answers about what happened to Austin Tice. Many of the discoveries they make in the series have never been revealed, but they help paint a picture of how the journalist disappeared and where he may have been taken. Also, just a note, throughout the reporting and publishing of this investigation into an ongoing missing person case, Josh and his team have maintained regular contact with the Tice family and kept them informed of their discoveries along the way. Today, I'm handing the show over to Josh Baker and Sarah Obadat as they try to find out what happened to Austin Tice. I'm going to try to answer the question, where's Austin Tice? Their story starts back in August of 2024. It was the first time Josh met Tice's mother. Let's see, I need 13, please. Thank you. Do you get nervous? No, I did persuasive speaking when I was in middle school. It was definitely good for mothering. Are you ready to go? Hi, Debra. Hey! I'm so glad you're here. I'm happy to be here. I really appreciate it. This is Debra Tice. Today marks the 12th anniversary of Austin's disappearance. I'm following her down a corridor at the National Press Club in Washington, D.C. We pass by a large poster of Austin. He's broad-shouldered, handsome, with thick, dark hair and a chiseled beard. Then we enter a grand ballroom. Everyone, we're about to get started. If you want to start getting to your seats. Today, we recognize a major and sobering step in the long journey home for Austin Tice. Twelve years ago today, Austin was taken in Syria, where he was working as a journalist. We are joining together with Austin's friends and his family in urging that you join us. We are asking the U.S. government to bring Austin home. This is no ordinary gathering. There are FBI agents, members of the intelligence community, and government officials. Because for more than a decade, every American president has paid attention to Austin's case. On a big screen, recorded messages start to play. There's the head of McClatchy, one of the news organizations that Austin worked for. They mark yet another year without Austin Tice, an American journalist and veteran U.S. Marine, who has been missing in Syria for over a decade. He's followed by Donald Trump's former national security advisor. Austin was the type of man that every dad wants their son to grow up to be like. A U.S. Marine, a photojournalist in combat zones, a Georgetown law student, a great son, and a terrific brother. And then his mother, Deborah, is introduced. She has this love for Austin. Long, striking silver hair and warm, gentle smile. She's petite and quietly spoken, but exudes a strength that comes from years of refusing to give up on her son. She's a badass. She's a woman of faith. I know she's a huge inspiration to me and a huge inspiration to many. If we can welcome to the stage, Deborah Tice. Right now, I just want to speak to Austin publicly. Stay strong, Austin. Keep the faith. We have many good people working for you and praying for your release. You will walk free again. I love you. You hang in there. The people here see Austin as an American hero who served in Iraq and Afghanistan, who put his life on the line, to report on the civil war in Syria. As the applause dies down, I look around. Faces are still, eyes fixed on nothing, a thousand-yard stare shared by many, not least of all Deborah, whose expression seems caught between gratitude for those who've come to honour her son and the quiet, unrelenting weight of his absence. The next day, I meet back up with Deborah at the National Press Club. She walks over to a grand wooden cabinet. It's got some of Austin's possessions on display. They have these shoes in it. His Converse All-Stars. It's all he ever wore. If you look really closely. Yeah, that's his reporter's diaper. Under his name, Austin Tice, where it says, "If found, please contact," there's a phone number. Oh, that's your home phone number? And every now and then, someone noticed it, and they would dare to call. And they would say, "Are you really his mother?" And I'm like, "I'm really his mother." He wanted to be a journalist, an international reporter for NPR. That was his dream. And then, when he turned 18, he really was like, "If I'm going to go to college, I'm going to Georgetown." And then he called them and said, "Well, if you don't accept me this semester, "I'm going to apply again next semester, "and if you don't accept me, "I'm going to apply this semester after that, "and I'm not going to any other college." I really think he only got in so that they could use their own phone occasionally. So he's a pretty determined guy, then. He has a pretty strong will, I would say. Deborah glances at the cabinet. A soft smile emerges on her face. It makes me wonder if for a moment she feels near Austin again. When was the last time you heard from Austin? In 2012, on his birthday, August 11th. We had the best FaceTime. He must have already been in Damascus when we had that call. Austin had taken a break from his studies at Georgetown, one of the top law schools in the country. He wanted to pursue a dream of becoming a war correspondent. So he spends his summer reporting in Syria. And on his 31st birthday, he calls home to speak to Deborah. After the call, Deborah leaves for a camping trip with friends, and she has no phone signal. So when she emerges a week later, she calls her husband Mark to check in. Mark said, "I need to talk to you. "Go somewhere that you'll see me." I feel strong and quiet. So I found a place, and I called him back, and I said, "So, what is it?" And he says, "Well, Austin is missing." And he's been missing for almost a week. What was going on in your head? What do we do, and how do we navigate this? And then I was in the car. And then I heard Austin's interview aired. There's a very real security concern. You know, the Syrian government is notorious for exerting pressure on people by going after their families in really quite violent and atrocious ways. So just so I understand, you've just been told your son is missing, and then he comes on the radio. Yeah, we're all listening to that and kind of. I mean, talk about dystopia. I haven't seen my son since 2012. That's the last time I hugged him. I know that my son is somewhere alive. Since the day Austin vanished in war-torn Syria, it's been Deborah's mission to get him home. And that means making sure he's not forgotten. And joining me now is Deborah Theis. With me now is Deborah Theis. Austin's mom, Deborah Theis. His mother, Deborah Theis, joins us now. Deborah's campaign has been so effective. She's attracted the attention of everyone, from popes to presidents. We are not ceasing our effort to get him. Leave no stone unturned in finding Austin and bringing him home. He's disappeared off the face of the earth. Despite all the resources and political power of the American government, nobody has been able to work out what really happened to Austin Tice. I started looking into Austin's case after I saw his mother Deborah on TV. She was making this heartfelt plea for his return and she looked exhausted. It made me think about my own mom and how she'd feel if I disappeared. So I started digging. I'm an investigative journalist who's spent almost a decade working in Syria. I've also worked to help evacuate people from conflict zones when they're in danger. And I have some experience looking for missing people. So I opened my contact book and spoke to everyone from senior officials to people gathering information on the ground inside Syria. And eventually, I get a meeting with someone who might be able to help. I feel like we're walking through a postcard. Little fences, pretty flowers. Very English. Yeah, it's adorable. Can you tell that I have a cold? I mean, the voice is a little bit huskier than normal. It's all right. It's a strong look. Yeah. Makes you edgy. Edgiest girl in the English countryside. It's the late summer of 2024. This is Sara Obedat. She's a Jordanian investigative journalist. We're good friends and we've worked together for a long time. And she just happens to have spent years researching the Syrian prison system. So I've asked for her help in looking into Austin's case. Together, we've come to a small village in southern England to meet a Syrian contact. Hello. Hello. How are you? Hi. How are you? Good to see you. This is Salam. He's smartly dressed with thick, dark hair and he has this restless energy. He's asked us not to use his full name because the work he does carries real risks. If he's identified, it could put him and others in danger. When were you in Syria? It was January 2013 when I left Syria. I served in the Syrian army for around 19 years. During the revolution, I defected from the army. In 2011, protests had swept across North Africa, and the Middle East. Dictators fell in Tunisia, Egypt, and Libya. People wanted their freedom and demanded fairer societies. When the movement reached Syria, President Bashar al-Assad responded with mass imprisonment and murder, plunging the country into civil war. That's what drove Salam to defect from the Syrian army and join rebel fighters. He went on to build a network, that gathers intelligence on the Syrian regime. He even has sources inside Assad's security services. And for years, he's been searching for Austin Tice. I suppose there's this big question at the moment. So Austin has now been missing for 12 years. Some people believe he's alive. Others think that there's no way he could possibly survive this long. It's not going to be surprising. It's not surprising that he's still alive after 12 years. And the Assad security regime, they are smart enough to know that he's a golden egg. They are very aware of how much the Western community scares about their citizens and how big pressure they can put on the Western governments. The instructions will be to keep him alive, to protect him, to treat him better than other prisoners. I've been told that around eight months ago, he, an American journalist, he looks like Austin. A doctor visited him because he was on a hunger strike. Hold on, you heard that Austin might be alive eight months ago? That's what I heard. That's what I heard. They think that he was in a very good situation, like treated differently from the other prisoners and not in the normal prisons. So if this is true, that would be the most recent time someone has seen him alive. Can you walk me through where he might be? So he was moved to. Branch 235, Palestine Branch, known as Palestine Branch. So Salam has information that Austin might be alive and even a location where he could be held, an intelligence base known as 235 Palestine Branch. But we can't get inside Syria, so it's hard to verify if this is true. Hearing this made me determinedly think that Austin might be alive. Because there are many stories about Austin Tice. In some, he's held in a cell, waiting to be rescued. In others, he was smuggled out of Syria and hidden away. And in the most tragic, he died long ago. But the truth is, this isn't just a missing person story. Austin's fate has become entangled in a world of covert talk, secret deals and power struggles that are. still playing out. All while his mother, Deborah, is left searching for answers. Following Austin's trail has taken me from the corridors of power in Washington, D.C., to the depths of Syria's most secret intelligence facilities. Along the way, I've spoken to spies, tracked down war criminals, and uncovered evidence that has never been made public. And I've learnt that there are people who know what they're doing. what happened to Austin Tice. And some of them don't want the truth to come out. So, what really happened to Austin Tice? Hi, how are you? I'm very tired. I'm sure you're feeling the same. I've just been looking at everything. I can't quite actually believe it, to be honest with you. Yeah, it was very hard to sleep, to be honest. And it's kind of surreal. It's the middle of a cold December night in 2024. It's been a few months since I was at the anniversary of Austin's disappearance in Washington, D.C. Now. I'm on the phone with Sarah. We've been glued to our screens all night. People don't know what's going to happen yet. I haven't been able to get in contact with Deborah. But I imagine she's going through every emotion on the planet right now. Yeah. Yeah. It must be so hard for her. Well, rebel forces have launched an offensive in northwestern Syria, taking territory from government forces for the first time in years. This hour, the second biggest city in Syria is now in the hands of. For the first time since the war began a decade ago. In Syria, rebel fighters are seizing government strongholds. They're taking city after city. Nobody saw this coming. Not even the country's president, Bashar al-Assad. He's losing his grip on power. Another significant gain driving government forces from the city of Hama. Rebels taking the city and freeing hundreds of those that they say were wrongfully detained in the central prison. It's the second. It's the second major city the rebels have seized in their lightning offensive. As the rebels advance, prison doors are being forced open and people are walking free. There's hope that Austin will be one of them. While this is unfolding, Deborah Tice brings her family together in Washington, D.C. Austin's six siblings are there, his father Mark and even his young niece. They stand in the middle of the street. They stand on a stage, looking out to a room full of reporters. Each of them is wearing a green T-shirt with Austin's face printed on it. Then there are the messages, simple and personal. Free my brother. Free my uncle. Deborah's T-shirt says, free my son. Today is a day full of emotions. The news that we're hearing from the Middle East, it's the kind of thing that can unsettle a mom. And I'm just so very glad that you're here. I'm so very glad that you're interested. You know, there are all kinds of ways this could go. But the best thing that we want to share with you is that we have from a significant source that has already been vetted all over our government. Austin Tice is alive. Austin Tice is treated well. There is no doubt about that, and I I would sincerely appreciate your most faithful prayers that we will see Austin walk free. And I just thank you so much. Deborah steps away from the podium with tears in her eyes. She says she has new evidence that Austin is alive, although she doesn't explain what that evidence is. As Syria descends into chaos, all she can do is wait for information about her son. Then rebels achieve what many felt was impossible. This is CNN Breaking News. Breaking news coming out of Syria. Rebels appear to have entered the capital. Statues toppling, people jumping on top of them. As Assad's opponents declare that his regime is over. The country's now former leader, Bashar al-Assad, believed to have escaped. President Biden is getting ready to speak any moment now, we're told, from the White House on the fall of the Bashar al-Assad regime in Syria. Oh, we see the president right now. We're going to go to the White House. At long last, the Assad regime has fallen. This regime brutalized and tortured and killed literally hundreds of thousands of innocent Syrians. We are mindful that there are Americans in Syria, including those who reside there, as well as Austrians. Austin Tice, who was taken captive more than 12 years ago, we remain committed to returning him to his family. What does the U.S. know about where Austin Tice might be and if he's safe? We believe he's alive. We think we can get him back, but we have no direct evidence of that yet. The president of the United States thinks he can bring Austin home. But in the same breath, he seems to suggest there's no way there's no proof Austin is alive, contradicting what Deborah told the press. It's hard to know what information about Austin is based on fact and what's based on hope. Whatever the case, the answers are in Syria. How long, do you think, to the border? Like two hours, maybe? Hour and a half? I think like another hour. Just 48 hours after the fall of the regime, Syria is in chaos. Airports have been abandoned, so the only way in is by road from neighbouring Lebanon. And that's where I meet up with Sara. How's your shawarma? It's delicious. Really? Yeah. It didn't hit the spot for me. I mean, let's wait till you get to Damascus. Sorry, Lebanon. But it's true. Syria does the best shawarma. I feel like you're discounting a lot of places we've worked together. As an Arab. Okay, you're playing that card. Okay, straight away. As a non-Syrian, as a non-Syrian, I am admitting that Syrians make the best shawarma. Just enjoy the beautiful traffic. Several hours later, we finally, we make it to the border of Syria. Thirteen, almost fourteen years ago, this place started its revolution. Yeah. Look at this on your right. Welcome to Syria. Oh look, there's still a picture of Assad. See? One side is ripped up. Yeah. It's a checkpoint, I think. Look, it says. But it's abandoned. And it's got a. smashed-out window. Wow, there's an old Syrian tank right there. All of the old checkpoints have been smashed up. You notice there are no street lamps. They're not lit. Throughout the entire highway. As I look out into the darkness from our minivan, the aftermath of fighting is everywhere. the aftermath of fighting is everywhere. A little fear creeps in. This is now a lawless country. There's no government, no government. There's no police. And we don't know who controls the road we're on. Then a man steps into the beam of our headlights. He's carrying a gun. Watching some fighters, I guess, search cars in front of me. I hide my microphone and look carefully around the vehicle. Flickers of light catch the edge of rifles. There are several men, some with faces covered, all armed. Every glance from them feels like a calculation. They approach our minivan. As they shine their lights on my face, As they shine their lights on my face, As they shine their lights on my face, their gaze softens. How are you? How are you? How are you? How are you? The men are part of the group that has just toppled Syrian President Assad. This is crazy. It's essentially not even, I mean, It's essentially not even, I mean, Is anyone keeping track of entry into the country? Seamless. I've never entered this country so quickly. I've never entered any country so quickly. No one knows that I'm here. No one's checked my passport. Welcome to the new Syria. But this kind of gave me a little bit of trepidation. Things are still very new. An hour later, we're in Damascus. Here we are, okay. Here we are, okay. We're near the hotel. Despite the chaos and the lack of an actual government. There's the entrance. Hotels are thankfully still operating. I unzip my bag and feel for a folder. Triple checking it's still hidden where I left it. So much of my reporting has been about national security and intelligence. A source of mine, with intimate knowledge of Austin's case, reached out. I'd spent months gaining their trust. And now they had something to give me. Something important. I can't say what country this happened in, in order to protect their identity. But we met outside a coffee shop. And they handed me a purple folder. Which came with a simple request. Find Austin. Now that we have a moment to catch our breath, Now that we have a moment to catch our breath, I take the folder to Sara's hotel room. I take the folder to Sara's hotel room. Hi. Can I come in? You're going to want to look at this. So, I met with somebody. And here are a list with GPS coordinates And here are a list with GPS coordinates of every location. That Austin is possibly known to have been held at. Whoa. This is insane. For years, Western intelligence agencies have been identifying sites where Austin might be held. But they couldn't go to them because they were tightly guarded by Syrian forces. Now that the regime is gone, we can search them. If Austin's being held in a Syrian prison, this might be the best chance in more than a decade that anyone has had to find him. in more than a decade that anyone has had to find him. That was BBC reporter Josh Baker. You can listen to the rest of the new series You can listen to the rest of the new series "Where is Austin Tice?" on NPR's embedded podcast in the NPR app or wherever you listen to podcasts. This episode was produced by Simon Maben, Monica Estatiava, and Lucy Burns. Editing by Claire Fordham, Katie Simon, and Robert Little. Fact-checking by Nicolette Kahn and Mary Glendening. Mastering by Tom Brignell. The Sunday Story team includes Andrew Mambo, Liana Simstrom, Jennifer Schmidt, and Sharon Mashihi. I'm Ayesha Roscoe, and Up First will be back tomorrow with all the news you need to start your week. Until then, have a great rest of your weekend.