WASHINGTON (AP) 鈥� The U.S. military has transported out of Syria who disappeared seven months ago into former notorious prison system and was among the this week by rebels, a U.S. official said Friday.
Travis Timmerman was flown out of Syria on a U.S. military helicopter, according to a U.S. official who spoke on condition of anonymity to discuss an ongoing operation.
Timmerman, 29, told The Associated Press he had gone to Syria on a Christian pilgrimage and was not ill-treated while in Palestine Branch, a notorious detention facility operated by Syrian intelligence. He said he was freed by 鈥渢he liberators who came into the prison and knocked the door down (of his cell) with a hammer.鈥�
Timmerman said he was released Monday morning alongside a young Syrian man and 70 female prisoners, some of whom had their children with them.
He had been held separately from Syrian and other Arab prisoners and said he didn鈥檛 know of any other Americans held in the facility.
Lolita C. Baldor, The Associated Press
