Iran: American Missing Since 2007 Was a CIA Freelancer

It was an old mystery from nearly 10 years ago. Former FBI agent Robert Levinson, who disappeared in 2007 on the Iranian island of Kish, was in fact a novice sent by CIA agents who did not receive approval from their higher-ups — a “has-been” who fooled the CIA paper-pushers in a very bad business.

The secret has just been revealed by the AP and the Washington Post, who investigated this mysterious disappearance. Levinson vanished in March 2007, several days after arriving at his hotel on Kish Island, off the coast of Iran.

The man, then 59, became a private investigator after a career with the FBI; his frequent travels interested Langley analysts who were trying to learn more about illicit financial circuits that allowed the Islamic Republic of Iran to circumvent the arsenal of international sanctions that had been imposed on the country because of its nuclear ambitions. Anne Jablonski hired Levinson on a contract basis to report to her. “Buck” — Levinson’s code name — prided himself on the idea of playing the latest James Bond.

For her part, “Toots” — the pseudonym Miss Jablonski used in the emails she sent to Buck — thought it was a good sign when, in early 2007, Levinson told her about an informant who was familiar with the corruption circles in Iran. Iran was considered America’s enemy; the U.S. had accused Iran of helping terrorist movements like Hezbollah and of making bombs for military purposes.

The source was Dawoud Salahudin. An American who had succeeded in breaking into Iranian society after having taken refuge in Tehran due to the near-assassination of the Shah of Iran in 1980 in the United States, he was being pursued by Washington. However, ever since March 9, 2007, when Levinson left his room at the Maryam Hotel in Kish before taking a taxi to meet Dawoud Salahudin, no trace of Levinson has been found.

For the public, this story has always been portrayed as that of an American who disappeared during a private trip to the Persian Gulf. Those familiar with the arcane shadow war smelled a rat — though this didn’t stop the State Department from presenting the situation, just two weeks ago, as the American who has been held hostage for the longest time in the history of the country. But even then, “mum” was the word on any further information.

In 2010, his family received proof that he was alive when they saw Levinson dressed as a Guantanamo prisoner asking his government to free him. At the same time, U.S. authorities bought the Levinson family’s silence with $2.5 million and the promise to pursue matters likely to lead to more information about him. The Iran of Mahmoud Ahmadinejad must remain on the Axis of Evil. This was no time to bring to light the troubling activities of a CIA freelancer.

However, as the AP and the Washington Post stressed in their investigation, released Thursday, the CIA committed serious errors in this case. The CIA was initially slow to react. Also, the operation was never approved and the directors were not even aware of the order placed by Anne Jablonski to her contact in Kish. She and nine other U.S. intelligence analysts were ultimately forced to resign or face disciplinary sanctions. Several months later, the CIA eventually informed Congress, the White House and the FBI of Robert Levinson’s true affiliation.

According to the AP, “The U.S. always suspected, but could never prove, that Levinson had been picked up by Iranian security forces.”

Embarrassingly, the CIA has not responded, but the Obama administration, for its part, expressed regrets that the AP broadcasted this information. “The investigation into Mr. Levinson’s disappearance continues, and we all remain committed to finding him and bringing him home safely to his family,” said National Security Council spokeswoman Caitlin Hayden.

At the end of August, Secretary of State John Kerry asked Tehran to help locate Robert Levinson. In September, the new Iranian President, Hassan Rouhani, said on CNN that he does not know where Levinson is. Barack Obama even mentioned Robert Levinson’s case, as well as the cases of two other detained Americans, during his telephone call with Rouhani at the end of September, the first direct contact between leaders of the two countries in more than 30 years.

No one knows if the former FBI agent is still alive. If he is, the unfortunate hostage will likely eventually be used by Tehran, which has always kept silent on this matter. It is waiting for the right time to negotiate with the former “Great Satan.”

This is a story which shows that in countries that are difficult to penetrate, like Iran or Syria, the intelligence community is prepared to do all it can to make up for its lack of reliable information….