Obama clears the way for hostages' families to pay ransom

The hostage policy review will also state that the US govt can help facilitate communications with terrorists on behalf of the families

President Barack Obama is clearing the way for families of US hostages to pay ransom to terror groups without fear of prosecution, as the White House seeks to address criticism from those whose loved ones have been killed in captivity.

The hostage policy review to be released Wednesday will also state that the US government can help facilitate communications with terrorists on behalf of the families, according to US officials.

However, a prohibition on the US government directly paying ransoms or making other concessions to terrorists will remain in place.

Obama will speak about the policies shortly after meeting with the families of Americans who have been held captive. The president ordered the review last year after families complained about their dealings with the administration, saying they were threatened with criminal prosecution if they pursued paying ransom in exchange for their loved ones' release.

Two US officials familiar with the review said there will be no formal change to the law that explicitly makes it a crime to provide money or other material support to terror organizations.

However, the administration will make clear that the Justice Department has never prosecuted anyone for paying ransom and that that will continue to be the case.

While the government has long turned a blind eye to family contacts with terrorists, officials acknowledge that the unspoken policy has been applied unevenly.

The inconsistencies have been magnified in recent months with the kidnappings and killings of Americans by terror groups.

Four Americans have been killed by the Islamic State group since last summer: journalists James Foley and Steven Sotloff and aid workers Peter Kassig and Kayla Mueller. After the release of gruesome videos showing the beheadings of some hostages, Obama approved an airstrike campaign against the Islamic State group in both Iraq and Syria.

The families' anguish has been deepened by the fact that European governments routinely pay ransom for hostages and win their release.

The US says its prohibitions against the government and private individuals making any concessions to terrorist demands are aimed both at preventing more kidnappings and blocking more income for terror groups.

However, the Obama administration did negotiate with the Taliban last year to win the release of Army Sgt. Bowe Bergdahl, who was captured after walking away from his post in Afghanistan. Five Guantanamo Bay detainees were exchanged as a condition of Bergdahl's release.

White House officials say those negotiations were permissible because Obama sees a special responsibility to leave no American service member behind on the battlefield.