In captivity, Kayla Mueller said ‘even in prison, one can be free’

A letter from the female American Islamic State captive Kayla Mueller was released by her family today after the White House confirmed her death. Mueller’s family received the letter in the spring of 2014 while the Arizona native was still in captivity. In the emotional letter, she does not say anything negative about her captors, writing that she relied on memories of family camping trips and her faith to help her during her captivity.

If you could say I have ‘suffered’ at all throughout this whole experience it is only in knowing how much suffering I have put you all through.

Kayla Mueller in her letter

President Barack Obama confirmed Mueller’s death and vowed to hunt her captors. The White House doesn’t believe the claims that Mueller was killed by a coalition airstrike against the Islamic State group and said that while the cause of her death is still unclear, IS is ultimately to blame for Mueller’s fate. Officials also said that at least one other American is being held hostage in the Middle East.

We have avoided discussing the individual cases of Americans who have been held hostage, but we are aware of other American hostages being held in the region.

White House spokesman Josh Earnest

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