6. A Meeting in Muscat

Josh uncovers a hidden world of secret negotiations, backchannels, and high-level talks. And, after years of failed promises, Austin’s mother Debra decides to go to Syria herself - alone.

She believes the US government could have done more to get her son home. Josh finds the men who took part in covert talks between Washington and Damascus. Could Austin’s release have been possible? And what was Syria offered in return?

Writer and showrunner: Josh Baker
Investigative producer: Sara Obeidat
Series producer: Simon Maybin
Field producing: Ouday Al Hussein
Additional producing: Lucy Burns
Open source intelligence: Thomas Bordeaux & Gabor Friesen
Production coordinator: Gemma Ashman
Series editor: Clare Fordham
Head of BBC News Long Form Audio: Emma Rippon
BBC Radio 4 commissioning editor: Dan Clarke
NPR producer: Monika Evstatieva
NPR editors: Robert Little & Katie Simon
NPR executive producer for Embedded: Irene Noguchi
BBC World Service commissioning editor: Jon Manel
Composer: Firas Abou Fakher
Additional music: Karim Chehoury
Theme music: Sam Slater
Mix and sound design: Tom Brignell