Scott Speicher’s story has been a twenty-year journey. Certainly, there was the constant reminder of the man himself – the one who wanted to come home – and at the end there was the vacant, painful sense of loss that he couldn’t be saved. If I never write another book, the work that went into the pursuit and telling of his story will have been enough. Scott Speicher matters and because he is alive in these pages, he is forever part of the conversation. What happened to him should never be allowed to happen again.
Throughout this narrative you have read about the role of the Falcon Hunter and that of additional unnamed – though well-described sources – who informed and supported the telling of Scott Speicher’s story. Those who asked for confidentiality and those who must have it to keep them safe were and are deserving of this protection. While it is always preferable to be able to use the name of the source, there are circumstances that warrant honoring anonymity. A case in point is the Falcon Hunter. Exposing him by name could possibly cause him – and his family – harm. More than that, it is my ethical obligation to withhold the identity of a living covert CIA or intelligence source.
The Falcon Hunter’s name and significant role and position of influence in his home country of Qatar, and also Saudi Arabia, most of Southwest Asia, and the United States is known to me. The Falcon Hunter’s role as a critical informant and operator reference Scott’s case was confirmed by at least six persons closely associated with and who had direct knowledge of his activity. Not providing his identity or those of similarly important informants in no way diminishes the case made on Scott’s behalf. Information provided by these sources has been corroborated and confidentiality – and their trust in me to keep it – is intact.