Update on Robert Levinson, former FBI agent, now missing in Iran since March, 2007

[seafan]

Iran: Wife Of Missing American Seeks Information


An undated photo of Robert Levinson
(Public domain)

August 20, 2007 (RFE/RL) -- The wife of former FBI agent Robert Levinson, who went missing in March while on a business trip to Iran, says she might travel to Iran to search for him. Christine Levinson told RFE/RL correspondent Golnaz Esfandiari on August 17 that she is planning the trip even though the State Department has advised against it. Iranian authorities have reportedly denied any knowledge of Robert Levinson's whereabouts.


RFE/RL: Your husband disappeared in March while on a business trip to Iran. When was the last time you spoke to him?

Christine Levinson: I spoke to him on March 8 before he got on a flight from Dubai International Airport to Kish Island. And he did arrive there and checked into the hotel Maryam. And we haven't heard anything since then. He had told me he would not be available for about 24 hours, he would not have cell service or e-mail service, and he would call me when he got back to Dubai. By Friday afternoon he had not called me. So I started to call his cell phone and to e-mail him and got no response. By Saturday he was supposed to have flown from Dubai to London. And so Saturday morning, on March 10, when I got up I checked with the hotel in London and he had not arrived there. So then I called up the people in Dubai. They said he had not checked out of that hotel and the last we heard he was still on Kish Island.

.....

RFE/RL: Dawud Salahuddin is the person who says he met your husband. Salahuddin is an American fugitive living in Iran since the 1980s when he allegedly murdered an Iranian opposition activist in the United States. Do you believe what he says? And did your husband mention that they were going to meet?

Levinson: I do believe he met with my husband. Bob had not mentioned that he was going to meet with this particular person. But that was not unusual. He didn't give me exact details of all his travel.

RFE/RL: What was the purpose of your husband's trip to Kish?

Levinson: The purpose of him going to Kish Island and talking to Dawud was to investigate cigarette smuggling for a couple of major corporations. He has his own business and he is a subcontractor. And so he does his investigations for people.

RFE/RL: Was he concerned about his safety while traveling to Iran? Did he mention anything to you?

Levinson: No. He was not.

.....

Levinson: First of all, my husband is (1.83 meters tall). When he left here, he weighed (about 130 kilograms). He's a very outgoing man. He is 59 years old, so he would be a person that would normally speak to everyone. I believe he has talked to people over there. And I'm hoping that anyone who has seen him or heard anything about him will contact us on our website and give us any information they have.

RFE/RL: Meanwhile, will you continue to contact Iranian authorities?

Levinson: Yes. I am contacting them almost daily. I tried to get in touch with them and see whether they have any new information for me because I find it very difficult to believe that they can't find him. I really would hope that anybody who can give me any information anywhere, can get in touch with me through the website and if they don't have e-mail access, they can go to the Swiss Embassy because they have been helping us.

Earlier information in this thread:

Missing former FBI agent busted Italian and Russian mobsters, Medellin cartel and Noriega

April 5, 2007