Washington (CNN) The family of Warren Weinstein, an American who was held hostage by al Qaeda for four years before he was killed in a U.S. drone strike, received assistance from the FBI when they paid a ransom to individuals claiming to be his captors in 2012, sources told CNN.

"Over the three and a half year period of Warren's captivity, the family made every effort to engage with those holding him or those with the power to find and rescue him," a spokesman for the family said in a statement on Wednesday.

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"This is an ordinary American family and they are not familiar with how one manages a kidnapping," the statement continued. "As such, they took the advice of those in government who deal with such issues on a regular basis and were disappointed that their efforts were not ultimately successful."

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