CIA boss reportedly held secret talks with Syrian spy chief
The CIA's director held a secret negotiation with Syria's intelligence chief earlier this year as part of an effort to free an American journalist taken hostage in the Arab country five years ago, The New York Times reported Friday.
The phone conversation between CIA boss Mike Pompeo and Syria's Ali Mamlouk occurred in February, the newspaper reported, citing unidentified American officials. The subject was Austin Tice, a former Marine who has reported for The Washington Post, McClatchy Newspapers, CBS and other outlets.
While further communications followed, the Times reported that the diplomatic effort collapsed after the US accused Syrian President Basharal-Assad's government of killing dozens of civilians in a sarin gas attack in April and President Donald Trump responded by launching some 60 cruise missiles at a Syrian air base.
