Warren Weinstein: Who was the American citizen killed in Pakistan by a US drone strike

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A US drone strike in Pakistan in January killed American citizen Warren Weinstein, a humanitarian worker who had been operating in Pakistan before he was abducted by al-Qaeda in 2011.

An Italian citizen, Giovanni Lo Porto, was also killed in the strike, US President Barack Obama said on Thursday.

At the time of his abduction, Mr Weinstein, 73, was working for J.E. Austin Associates, a private contractor, on a project under the guidance on the US Agency for International Development. He was abducted from his guarded home in Lahore when gunmen pretended to be neighbours to gain access to his residence, CNN reported.

Al-Qaeda had released a number of videos in the past few years proving Mr Weinstein was alive, but his family worried that his health was deteriorating. US officials said they frequently briefed the family on Mr Weinstein’s condition.

US intelligence claims they did not know Mr Weinstein was at the compound in the Pakistan-Afghanistan border region when the airstrikes were ordered.

Mr Weinstein worked in international development for 25 years and held a doctorate degree in international law and economics from Columbia University, according to Voice of America. He spoke six languages and had lived in Lahore since 2004.

He is survived by his wife, two daughters and two grandchildren. Elaine Weinstein, the wife, released a statement shortly after President Obama addressed Mr Weinstein's death. Read it below, in full.

“On behalf of myself, our two daughters, our son-in-law, and two grandchildren, we are devastated by this news and the knowledge that my husband will never safely return home. We were so hopeful that those in the U.S. and Pakistani governments with the power to take action and secure his release would have done everything possible to do so and there are no words to do justice to the disappointment and heartbreak we are going through. We do not yet fully understand all of the facts surrounding Warren’s death but we do understand that the U.S. government will be conducting an independent investigation of the circumstances. We look forward to the results of that investigation. But those who took Warren captive over three years ago bear ultimate responsibility. I can assure you that he would still be alive and well if they had allowed him to return home after his time abroad working to help the people of Pakistan.

“The cowardly actions of those who took Warren captive and ultimately to the place and time of his death are not in keeping with Islam and they will have to face their God to answer for their actions,” Mrs. Weinstein said.

“Warren spent his entire life working to benefit people across the globe and loved the work that he did to make people’s lives better. In Pakistan, where he was working before he was abducted, he loved and respected the Pakistani people and their culture. He learned to speak Urdu and did everything he could to show his utmost and profound respect for the region.

“We cannot even begin to express the pain our family is going through and we ask for the respect of our privacy as we go through this devastating ordeal.

“I want to thank Congressman John Delaney, Senator Barbara Mikulski, and Senator Ben Cardin – as well as specific officials from the Federal Bureau of Investigation – for their relentless efforts to free my husband.” Mrs. Weinstein added, “Unfortunately, the assistance we received from other elements of the U.S. Government was inconsistent and disappointing over the course of three and a half years. We hope that my husband’s death and the others who have faced similar tragedies in recent months will finally prompt the U.S. Government to take its responsibilities seriously and establish a coordinated and consistent approach to supporting hostages and their families.”

“I am disappointed in the government and military in Pakistan. Warren’s safe return should have been a priority for them based on his contributions to their country, but they failed to take action earlier in his captivity when opportunity presented itself, instead treating Warren’s captivity as more of an annoyance than a priority. I hope the nature of our future relationship with Pakistan is reflective of how they prioritize situations such as these.”