There is new hope as family pleads for release of Atlanta man held by Taliban, advisor says

ATLANTA — There’s new hope for the release of an Atlanta man held hostage by the Taliban.

Channel 2 investigative reporter Mark Winne learned that George Glezmann’s wife and two other key players met at the White House this week.

George Taylor, a family advisor, said they met with National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan and his staff, alongside Dennis Fitzpatrick, the family’s pro bono attorney, and Glezmann’s wife.

“We have something now that we didn’t have before,” Taylor said. “That is a glass now that is halfway full of hope.”

Taylor described Wednesday’s meeting as positive and indicated that after meeting with Sullivan, he feels more secure in his conviction that Glezmann can be brought home from Kabul, Afghanistan.

Glezmann has been held there since December 2022.

According to Taylor, Glezmann is an innocent tourist who was wrongfully detained by the Taliban while exploring different cultures.

“It was a frank discussion on both sides,” Taylor said. “We were reassured by Mr. Sullivan that the president had been personally briefed by him regarding George and others in captivity in Afghanistan.”

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Taylor, who retired as a federal agent and worked on the Joint Terrorism Task Force, has been assisting the Glezmann family since April.

He described Sullivan as gracious and generous with his time and said learning that President Joe Biden had been personally briefed about Glezmann’s situation was significant.

“We do believe that the government is on the right path,” Taylor said.

A physician recently examined Glezmann, and Taylor noted that his condition continues to deteriorate, which underscores the urgency of his release.

“We’re not going away until George is back on the soil in Atlanta, Georgia,” Taylor said.

During their visit to Washington, the Glezmann delegation also met with the Special Presidential Envoy for Hostage Affairs Roger Carstens and both of Georgia’s U.S. Senators, Jon Ossoff and Raphael Warnock, who have been pushing for Glezmann’s release.

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Diplomat met with GA man held by Taliban in Afghanistan, found him in poor condition

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