ຄອບຄົວຂອງຊາວອາເມຣິກັນຄົນນຶ່ງທີ່ຫາຍສາບສູນຢູ່ໃນອິຣ່ານ ມາໄດ້ຫຼາຍກວ່າຫົກປີແລ້ວນັ້ນ ໄດ້ອອກມາເວົ້າ ຫຼັງຈາກມີລາຍງານຂອງສື່ມວນຊົນທີ່ເວົ້າວ່າ ຜູ້ກ່ຽວໄດ້ໄປອິຣ່ານ ເພື່ອທໍາສອດແນມໃຫ້ແກ່ອົງການສືບລັບຊີໄອເອຂອງສະຫະລັດ ແລະວ່າການຫາຍສາບສູນຂອງຜູ້ກ່ຽວ ໄດ້ກາຍມາເປັນພາກສ່ວນນຶ່ງຂອງການປົກປິດວຽກງານຂອງອົງການສືບລັບດັ່ງກ່າວຂອງລັດຖະບານສະຫະລັດ.
ມີຄົນເຫັນ ທ່ານ Robert Levinson ເທື່ອສຸດທ້າຍ ໃນເດືອນມີນາ ປີ 2007 ເວລາຜູ້ ກ່ຽວບິນໄປເກາະ Kish Island ຂອງອິຣ່ານ ຊຶ່ງເປັນແຫຼ່ງທ່ອງທ່ຽວ ແລະແຫຼ່ງອາຊະ ຍາກໍາທີ່ມີການຈັດຕັ້ງ.
ເປັນເວລາຫຼາຍປີ ທີ່ສະຫະລັດຢືນຢັນວ່າ ທ່ານ Levinson ຊຶ່ງເປັນເຈົ້າໜ້າທີ່ FBI ຫລືຕໍາຫລວດສັນຕິບານກາງສະຫະລັດທີ່ປົດກະສຽນແລ້ວ ໄດ້ໄປທີ່ນັ້ນ ດ້ວຍຈຸດປະສົງ
ຂອງຜູ້ກ່ຽວເອງ. ແຕ່ບັດນີ້ ລາຍງານຂ່າວຈາກອົງການຂ່າວ ເອພີ ແລະ ໜັງສືພິມ Washington Post ເວົ້າວ່າ ທ່ານ Levinson ເປັນສ່ວນນຶ່ງຂອງການປະຕິບັດງານສອດແນມທີ່ລົ້ມແຫລວຂອງຊີໄອເອ ແລະວ່າ ຄອບຄົວຂອງຜູ້ກ່ຽວ ໄດ້ຖືກຮັບເງິນເປັນຄ່າປິດປາກ ຈໍານວນ ສອງລ້ານຫ້າແສນ ໂດລ່າ.
ຄອບຄົວຂອງ Levinson ໄດ້ຕອບໂຕ້ ດ້ວຍການນໍາເອົາຄໍາຖະແຫຼງ ສະບັບນຶ່ງລົງໃນເວັບໄຊ້ helpboblevinson.com
ຄໍາຖະແຫຼງເອີ້ນທ່ານ Levinson ວ່າເປັນ ບຸລຸດຜູ້ພິລາດອາດຫານ ຜູ້ທີ່ສ່ຽງຊີວິດໃນການ
ຮັບໃຊ້ລັດຖະບານສະຫະລັດ ແລະຮຽກຮ້ອງໃຫ້ສະຫະລັດ ຈົ່ງອອກມາຮັບຜິດຊອບກ່ຽວ
ກັບຄົນຂອງຕົນເອງ. ແຕ່ຄໍາຖະແຫຼງ ບໍ່ໄດ້ເວົ້າໂດຍກົງ ເຖິງຄວາມສໍາພັນກັບຊີໄອເອ
ຕາມທີ່ຖືກກ່າວຫານັ້ນ.
ທໍານຽບຂາວກໍໄດ້ສະແດງປະຕິກິລິຍາກ່ຽວກັບເລຶ່ອງນີ້ ເມື່ອວັນສຸກວານນີ້ ໂດຍທ່ານ Jay Carney ໂຄສົກທໍານຽບຂາວ ເວົ້າວ່າ:
“ສິ່ງທີ່ຂ້າພະເຈົ້າສາມາດບອກພວກທ່ານໄດ້ນັ້ນ ກໍຄື Levinson ບໍ່ໄດ້ເປັນ
ພະນັກງານຂອງລັດຖະບານສະຫະລັດ ເວລາຜູ້ກ່ຽວເດີນທາງໄປຍັງອິຣ່ານ
ແຕ່ຂ້າພະເຈົ້າກໍຈະບໍ່ຂໍໃຫ້ລາຍລະອຽດໃດໆອີກ.”
ບໍ່ເທົ່າໃດເດືອນຫຼັງຈາກທ່ານ Levinson ຫາຍສາບສູນໄປ Christine ພັນລະຍາຂອງ
ທ່ານ ໄດ້ເດີນທາງໄປເຕຫະຣ່ານ ເພື່ອຮ້ອງຂໍຄວາມຊ່ວຍເຫລືອຈາກທາງການອິຣ່ານ.
ນາງກ່າວວ່າ ພວກເຈົ້າໜ້າທີ່ອິຣ່ານໄດ້ຮັບ ຮອງຕໍ່ນາງວ່າ ພວກເຂົາເຈົ້າຈະຊ່ວຍຊອກຫາ
ສາມີຂອງນາງໃຫ້ພົບ ຖ້າເປັນໄປໄດ້.
ແຕ່ນອກຈາກຮູບພາບ ແລະຮູບວີດີໂອ ທີ່ສະແດງໃຫ້ເຫັນທ່ານ Levinson ຢູ່ໃນສຸຂະ ພາບ
ທີ່ເຊື່ອມໂຊມ ແລະຂໍຮ້ອງຄວາມຊ່ວຍເຫຼືອ ດ້ານຢູກຢາວ່າ “ຂ້ອຍກໍາລັງຈະໝົດຢາສີດແກ້ໄຣກເບົາຫວານໃນໄວໆນີ້ແລ້ວ” ນັ້ນ ກໍບໍ່ມີຂ່າວຄາວຫຍັງອີກເລີຍ.
The family of an American citizen missing in Iran for more than six years is speaking out after media reports say he had gone to Iran to spy for the CIA, and that his disappearance became part of a U.S. government agency cover-up.
The last time anyone saw Robert Levinson was March 2007, when he flew to Iran's Kish Island - a hotbed for tourists and organized crime.
For years, the United States has insisted Levinson - a retired FBI agent - had gone on his own. But reports from The Associated Press and The Washington Post now say Levinson was part of a botched U.S. spy operation and that his family was paid $2.5 million to keep quiet.
Levinson's family responded, posting a statement Friday to the website helpboblevinson.com.
It calls Levinson a "courageous man" who risked his own life "in service to the U.S. government" and calls on the U.S. to "step up and take care of one of its own." But it never directly addresses the alleged relationship with the CIA.
The White House also reacted Friday.
Spokesman Jay Carney said, "What I can tell you is he was not a U.S. government employee when he made that trip. But I'm not going to get into any more detail."
His family's Iranian lawyer said if Levinson was working for the CIA, he was never told. Mohammad Hossein Aghasi, now living in the U.S., also told VOA's Persian service via Skype, that in his dealings with Iran's government, Iranian officials never accused Levinson of being a spy.
But Associated Press Washington Investigative Editor Ted Bridis said U.S. officials were convinced Iran knew. “If he was held by the [Iranian] government, they’ve been accused of some fairly oppressive interrogation techniques. Could he have held out for seven days? Seven hours? Surely. Seven years? Probably not.”
Just months after Levinson disappeared, his wife, Christine, went to Tehran, pleading with officials. "They have assured me that they will help me find my husband if possible," she said.
But other than photos and videos showing him in failing health, there has been nothing.
For now, U.S. officials are slamming the news media for publishing the new allegations, saying it "does nothing to further the cause" of bringing Levinson home.
Former CIA Agent Robert Baer, via Skype, agrees. “It’s bad. It’s going to really hurt and it’s very unfortunate.”
He tells VOA's Persian service that if Levinson was part of a CIA operation, it was as sloppy as it gets, and that the implications are huge.
“What I’m afraid of is that this is going to become an issue on the Hill [Capitol Hill] and that any effort to reconcile with Iran, any détente, is going to founder on Levinson," said Baer.
As for Robert Levinson's current whereabouts, if anyone knows for sure they still aren't saying.
ມີຄົນເຫັນ ທ່ານ Robert Levinson ເທື່ອສຸດທ້າຍ ໃນເດືອນມີນາ ປີ 2007 ເວລາຜູ້ ກ່ຽວບິນໄປເກາະ Kish Island ຂອງອິຣ່ານ ຊຶ່ງເປັນແຫຼ່ງທ່ອງທ່ຽວ ແລະແຫຼ່ງອາຊະ ຍາກໍາທີ່ມີການຈັດຕັ້ງ.
ເປັນເວລາຫຼາຍປີ ທີ່ສະຫະລັດຢືນຢັນວ່າ ທ່ານ Levinson ຊຶ່ງເປັນເຈົ້າໜ້າທີ່ FBI ຫລືຕໍາຫລວດສັນຕິບານກາງສະຫະລັດທີ່ປົດກະສຽນແລ້ວ ໄດ້ໄປທີ່ນັ້ນ ດ້ວຍຈຸດປະສົງ
ຂອງຜູ້ກ່ຽວເອງ. ແຕ່ບັດນີ້ ລາຍງານຂ່າວຈາກອົງການຂ່າວ ເອພີ ແລະ ໜັງສືພິມ Washington Post ເວົ້າວ່າ ທ່ານ Levinson ເປັນສ່ວນນຶ່ງຂອງການປະຕິບັດງານສອດແນມທີ່ລົ້ມແຫລວຂອງຊີໄອເອ ແລະວ່າ ຄອບຄົວຂອງຜູ້ກ່ຽວ ໄດ້ຖືກຮັບເງິນເປັນຄ່າປິດປາກ ຈໍານວນ ສອງລ້ານຫ້າແສນ ໂດລ່າ.
ຄອບຄົວຂອງ Levinson ໄດ້ຕອບໂຕ້ ດ້ວຍການນໍາເອົາຄໍາຖະແຫຼງ ສະບັບນຶ່ງລົງໃນເວັບໄຊ້ helpboblevinson.com
ຄໍາຖະແຫຼງເອີ້ນທ່ານ Levinson ວ່າເປັນ ບຸລຸດຜູ້ພິລາດອາດຫານ ຜູ້ທີ່ສ່ຽງຊີວິດໃນການ
ຮັບໃຊ້ລັດຖະບານສະຫະລັດ ແລະຮຽກຮ້ອງໃຫ້ສະຫະລັດ ຈົ່ງອອກມາຮັບຜິດຊອບກ່ຽວ
ກັບຄົນຂອງຕົນເອງ. ແຕ່ຄໍາຖະແຫຼງ ບໍ່ໄດ້ເວົ້າໂດຍກົງ ເຖິງຄວາມສໍາພັນກັບຊີໄອເອ
ຕາມທີ່ຖືກກ່າວຫານັ້ນ.
ທໍານຽບຂາວກໍໄດ້ສະແດງປະຕິກິລິຍາກ່ຽວກັບເລຶ່ອງນີ້ ເມື່ອວັນສຸກວານນີ້ ໂດຍທ່ານ Jay Carney ໂຄສົກທໍານຽບຂາວ ເວົ້າວ່າ:
“ສິ່ງທີ່ຂ້າພະເຈົ້າສາມາດບອກພວກທ່ານໄດ້ນັ້ນ ກໍຄື Levinson ບໍ່ໄດ້ເປັນ
ພະນັກງານຂອງລັດຖະບານສະຫະລັດ ເວລາຜູ້ກ່ຽວເດີນທາງໄປຍັງອິຣ່ານ
ແຕ່ຂ້າພະເຈົ້າກໍຈະບໍ່ຂໍໃຫ້ລາຍລະອຽດໃດໆອີກ.”
ບໍ່ເທົ່າໃດເດືອນຫຼັງຈາກທ່ານ Levinson ຫາຍສາບສູນໄປ Christine ພັນລະຍາຂອງ
ທ່ານ ໄດ້ເດີນທາງໄປເຕຫະຣ່ານ ເພື່ອຮ້ອງຂໍຄວາມຊ່ວຍເຫລືອຈາກທາງການອິຣ່ານ.
ນາງກ່າວວ່າ ພວກເຈົ້າໜ້າທີ່ອິຣ່ານໄດ້ຮັບ ຮອງຕໍ່ນາງວ່າ ພວກເຂົາເຈົ້າຈະຊ່ວຍຊອກຫາ
ສາມີຂອງນາງໃຫ້ພົບ ຖ້າເປັນໄປໄດ້.
ແຕ່ນອກຈາກຮູບພາບ ແລະຮູບວີດີໂອ ທີ່ສະແດງໃຫ້ເຫັນທ່ານ Levinson ຢູ່ໃນສຸຂະ ພາບ
ທີ່ເຊື່ອມໂຊມ ແລະຂໍຮ້ອງຄວາມຊ່ວຍເຫຼືອ ດ້ານຢູກຢາວ່າ “ຂ້ອຍກໍາລັງຈະໝົດຢາສີດແກ້ໄຣກເບົາຫວານໃນໄວໆນີ້ແລ້ວ” ນັ້ນ ກໍບໍ່ມີຂ່າວຄາວຫຍັງອີກເລີຍ.
The family of an American citizen missing in Iran for more than six years is speaking out after media reports say he had gone to Iran to spy for the CIA, and that his disappearance became part of a U.S. government agency cover-up.
The last time anyone saw Robert Levinson was March 2007, when he flew to Iran's Kish Island - a hotbed for tourists and organized crime.
For years, the United States has insisted Levinson - a retired FBI agent - had gone on his own. But reports from The Associated Press and The Washington Post now say Levinson was part of a botched U.S. spy operation and that his family was paid $2.5 million to keep quiet.
Levinson's family responded, posting a statement Friday to the website helpboblevinson.com.
It calls Levinson a "courageous man" who risked his own life "in service to the U.S. government" and calls on the U.S. to "step up and take care of one of its own." But it never directly addresses the alleged relationship with the CIA.
The White House also reacted Friday.
Spokesman Jay Carney said, "What I can tell you is he was not a U.S. government employee when he made that trip. But I'm not going to get into any more detail."
His family's Iranian lawyer said if Levinson was working for the CIA, he was never told. Mohammad Hossein Aghasi, now living in the U.S., also told VOA's Persian service via Skype, that in his dealings with Iran's government, Iranian officials never accused Levinson of being a spy.
But Associated Press Washington Investigative Editor Ted Bridis said U.S. officials were convinced Iran knew. “If he was held by the [Iranian] government, they’ve been accused of some fairly oppressive interrogation techniques. Could he have held out for seven days? Seven hours? Surely. Seven years? Probably not.”
Just months after Levinson disappeared, his wife, Christine, went to Tehran, pleading with officials. "They have assured me that they will help me find my husband if possible," she said.
But other than photos and videos showing him in failing health, there has been nothing.
For now, U.S. officials are slamming the news media for publishing the new allegations, saying it "does nothing to further the cause" of bringing Levinson home.
Former CIA Agent Robert Baer, via Skype, agrees. “It’s bad. It’s going to really hurt and it’s very unfortunate.”
He tells VOA's Persian service that if Levinson was part of a CIA operation, it was as sloppy as it gets, and that the implications are huge.
“What I’m afraid of is that this is going to become an issue on the Hill [Capitol Hill] and that any effort to reconcile with Iran, any détente, is going to founder on Levinson," said Baer.
As for Robert Levinson's current whereabouts, if anyone knows for sure they still aren't saying.