--- title: ISIS Kayla Mueller: Father of Hostage Speaks Out on U.S. Ransom Policy description: ISIS claims the 26-year-old hostage died in a recent air strike canonical: https://time.com/3717862/kayla-mueller-dad-hostage-ransom-policy/ author: NBC News article:opinion: false article:content_tier: free article:published_time: 2015-02-22T19:08:30.000Z article:modified_time: 2026-05-11T05:05:29.153Z article:section: Politics og:title: Kayla Mueller's Father Says U.S. 'Put Policy in Front of American Citizens' Lives' og:description: ISIS claims the 26-year-old hostage died in a recent air strike og:url: https://time.com/3717862/kayla-mueller-dad-hostage-ransom-policy/ og:site_name: TIME og:image: https://static.time.com/v3/assets/bltea6093859af6183b/bltde093bcdab65f2d0/6988d9b9bc6cfc69913e2a3c/time-logo.jpg?branch=production og:image:width: 1200 og:image:height: 675 og:image:alt: TIME og:type: article twitter:card: summary_large_image twitter:title: Kayla Mueller's Father Says U.S. 'Put Policy in Front of American Citizens' Lives' twitter:description: ISIS claims the 26-year-old hostage died in a recent air strike twitter:image: https://static.time.com/v3/assets/bltea6093859af6183b/bltde093bcdab65f2d0/6988d9b9bc6cfc69913e2a3c/time-logo.jpg?branch=production --- # Kayla Mueller's Father Says U.S. 'Put Policy in Front of American Citizens' Lives' by [NBC News](https://time.com/author/nbc-news/) ## NBC News Feb 22, 2015 7:08 PM UTC by [NBC News](https://time.com/author/nbc-news/) ## NBC News Feb 22, 2015 7:08 PM UTC Slain ISIS hostage Kayla Mueller’s father has accused the Obama administration of putting its policy of not paying ransoms “in front of American citizens’ lives.” In an exclusive interview with TODAY’s Savannah Guthrie, Carl Mueller said he had mixed feelings about the government’s refusal to negotiate with terrorist groups who kidnapped foreigners. Other Western countries are known to have paid millions to secure the release of their nationals. “We understand the policy about not paying ransom,” he said. “But on the other hand, any parents out there would understand that you would want anything and everything done to bring your child home…” [Read the rest of the story from our partners at NBC News](http://www.nbcnews.com/storyline/isis-terror/kayla-muellers-dad-u-s-put-policy-front-american-citizens-n310421) ### Peek Inside Kobani After Kurds Claim Victory Over ISIS  A Kurdish man stands in a destroyed building in the center of the Syrian border town of Kobani on Jan. 28, 2015. Bulent Kilic—AFP/Getty Images  Street scene in Kobani on Jan. 28, 2015. Bulent Kilic—AFP/Getty Images  A Kurdish fighter speaks on the phone as one of his comrades walks past in the center of the Syrian town of Kobani on Jan. 28, 2015. Bulent Kilic—AFP/Getty Images  A Kurdish fighter walks through the wreckage of a building in the center of the Syrian town of Kobani on Jan. 28\. 2015. Bulent Kilic—AFP/Getty Images  A Kurdish fighter walks with his child in the center of the Syrian border town of Kobani, Jan. 28, 2015. Bulent Kilic—AFP/Getty Images  A shell is used as a vase in the Syrian border town of Kobani on Jan. 28, 2015. Bulent Kilic—AFP/Getty Images  An injured Kurdish fighter sits near the site where a projectile landed in the center of the Syrian town of Kobani on Jan. 28, 2015. Bulent Kilic—AFP/Getty Images  Kurdish fighters walk along a street in the center of the Syrian town of Kobani on Jan. 28, 2015. Bulent Kilic—AFP/Getty Images  A Kurdish fighter drives a truck with a heavy gun machine in the center of the Syrian town of Kobani on Jan. 28\. 2015. Bulent Kilic—AFP/Getty Images  A Kurd stands in a building as pigeons fly over in the center of the Syrian town of Kobani on Jan. 28, 2015. 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