The mother of missing American journalist and former US Marine Austin Tice revealed on Thursday that newly declassified intelligence files contain details that could assist in finding her son, who vanished in Syria 13 years ago.
At a press conference at the National Press Club in Washington, Debra Tice said the documents show that US agencies received near-daily reports about her son’s condition and captivity in the years following his 2012 disappearance outside Damascus.
The files, released earlier this year by US Director of National Intelligence Tulsi Gabbard after long-standing requests from the family, contain information suggesting that Austin Tice received medical treatment while in captivity.
“When he had something wrong with his teeth, they took him to a dentist. When he had some stomach issues, they took him to a doctor,” Debra Tice was quoted as saying by The Washington Post. She did not provide specific dates or locations.
What happened to Austin Tice?
Austin Tice, a freelance journalist reporting for The Washington Post and other outlets, was abducted in August 2012 on the outskirts of Damascus. A video released shortly afterward showed him blindfolded and surrounded by armed men. US officials have long suspected the Syrian regime was responsible, though Damascus has consistently denied involvement.
Debra Tice said previous administrations repeatedly told her no further intelligence existed. However, she argued that the files prove otherwise and reinforce her belief that her son is still alive. She also alleged that Syrian authorities attempted to return her son shortly after his disappearance by reaching out to then-secretary of state Hillary Clinton.
“The Syrian government reached out to Hillary Clinton and wanted her to come and get Austin in August 2012, and she declined,” she said.
Former US officials with knowledge of the case told The Washington Post that no such offer was ever made and that Damascus “vigorously denied any knowledge of Austin right to the end.”
American officials have cited obstruction by the Assad regime and the secretive nature of its detention system as the main barriers to resolving the case. Since the regime’s collapse in December 2024, the CIA has issued a “low confidence” assessment that Tice is likely dead – an assessment the family strongly rejects.
Debra Tice insisted she remains certain her son is alive, saying the mass release of detainees from Syrian prisons after the fall of Assad has not produced any information about his fate.
“We know Austin is alive. We need to find him,” she said.
Austin Tice’s disappearance remains one of the longest unresolved cases of a missing American journalist in the Middle East. Rights groups and press freedom advocates have urged Washington to prioritize the case and press for accountability.