Families negotiating ransom for U.S. hostages won't be prosecuted, Obama says

President Barack Obama cleared the way Wednesday for families of American hostages to pay ransom to secure their loved ones' release, despite a long-standing U.S. ban on making concessions to terrorist groups. 

"These families have already suffered enough and they should never feel ignored or victimized by their own government," Obama said as he detailed the results of a six-month review of U.S. hostage policy. 

The review's conclusions aim to streamline and improve communications with families, who have sharply criticized the government for providing them with confusing and contradictory information. Some families have complained about threats of criminal prosecution if they seek to pay ransom to terrorists -- threats Obama said would end. 

"The last thing we should ever do is add to a family's pain with threats like that," he said.  

There will be no change to the law banning material support for terrorists.

• James Foley's parents say U.S. government failed the executed hostage
• Should we pay ransom to terrorists
• Kidnapped: Do governments pay ransoms to militants

The U.S. government will continue to uphold this "no concessions" policy, but officials can help families communicate with hostage-takers, either through direct contact with terrorist groups or using intermediaries.

"These efforts will be focused on ensuring the safety and security of a family to prevent them from being defrauded or further victimized by a hostage-taker," the White House said in a fact sheet. "In short, we will not abandon families in their greatest time of need."

Critics say reversal will endanger Americans

Obama ordered the review last year after criticism from families that complained about threats of prosecution, as well as sparse, confusing and sometimes contradictory information from the government.

The most vocal families were those whose loved ones were killed in recent months while being held by the militant groups ISIS, al-Qaeda and others.

European governments routinely pay ransom for hostages and win their release. But the U.S. has long argued that paying ransom funds terror activity and makes Americans a greater target for kidnapping.

Critics of the White House review argue that allowing families to do what the government won't could lead to those same troubling consequences.

"We have had a policy in the United States for over 200 years of not paying ransom and not negotiating with terrorists," said John Boehner, a senior Republican Congressman. "The concern that I have is that by lifting that long-held principle you could be endangering more Americans here and overseas."

New unit will co-ordinate recovery effort

Despite the ban on the U.S. government making concessions to terrorists, 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 this post in Afghanistan. Five Guantanamo Bay detainees were exchanged as a condition of his 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. Some hostages' relatives argued Tuesday against the government making such distinctions between U.S. citizens.

In a step aimed at streamlining communications with families, the White House also announced the creation of a "Hostage Recovery Fusion Cell" that will co-ordinate recovery efforts among various government agencies. Some families had pushed for the new office to be based at the White House, but it will be at the FBI.