Status of U.S. Marine remains uncertain

His family said it had word that he had been released.
TRIPOLI, Lebanon (AP) -- The U.S. Embassy has "credible information" that missing U.S. Marine Cpl. Wassef Ali Hassoun is safe in his native Lebanon, but hasn't been able to confirm it, a public affairs officer said today.
"We're working on confirmation of that," Elizabeth Wharton told The Associated Press, speaking about information the Embassy had received about the fate of 24-year-old Hassoun, who went missing in Iraq more than two weeks ago.
There have been several contradictory reports about the missing Marine since then. An Iraqi militant group said Monday it was holding the 24-year-old Muslim in a safe place but hadn't killed him. Al Jazeera television broadcast the statement from "Islamic Response," which claimed responsibility June 27 for Hassoun's kidnapping.
On Saturday, a statement posted on a Web site known for extremist Muslim comment said Hassoun, a Lebanese-born Muslim, had been beheaded. A day later, another Web statement declared the Marine had not been killed.
Reports emerged that he might have been freed after his family in West Jordan, Utah, said Tuesday that they had had word that he had been released and was safe, but they didn't know where.
A Lebanese Foreign Ministry official, speaking on condition of anonymity, said Hassoun "is with his parents" in northern Lebanon.
Hoax?
But journalists gathered outside the family's Tripoli home saw no sign of Hassoun's reunion with his relatives.
Meanwhile, NBC reported that the Navy was investigating whether Hassoun's disappearance may be part of a kidnapping hoax. A Marine spokesman confirmed that the Navy investigation remains open.
"I don't think they're ruling that out. It would be fair to say they're not ruling that out," said Maj. Nat Fahy.
The investigation by Navy Criminal Investigative Service still being treated as missing person investigation, he said.
Two FBI agents met with the Hassoun family in the United States for about 20 minutes Wednesday afternoon. The agents were not there to deliver any news to the family, but instead were sent to determine where the family was getting its information about Hassoun's whereabouts, agent Kelly Kleinvachter said.
Secretary of State Colin Powell was asked at a news conference earlier Wednesday whether the missing Marine had been in contact with the embassy.
"We have received reports he may be in contact with various individuals," Powell said. "There are other reports he may be in Lebanon. I can't confirm any of these."
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