Families of Hostages to Be Allowed to Pay Ransoms, Obama Announces

A change in US policy will allow families of citizens taken hostage to pay ransoms to secure release of their loved ones. After a six-month review of the policy, President Obama announced Wednesday families of people held overseas would no longer be threatened with prosecution if they decided to pay ransoms.

However, the US government will continue its policy not to pay ransoms, the president said. “I am reaffirming that the United States government will not make concessions, such as paying ransom, to terrorist groups holding American hostages,” he said. Credit: The White House