Mark and Matt Dolan say they don’t know the identity of the mysterious man in the image or where the snapshot came from but are confident it does not depict their brother Steve.
Mark tells TradeWinds that the St Louis-based reporter covering the story for Fox “would not do anything to disparage Steve” as he was “friendly” to the family’s cause and believes the photo may have been the only visual reference to APL available in the news station’s image archive.
“Besides, Steve was the managing director [of APL Emirates],” he added in an email exchange late Thursday evening. “He spends his time in the office or with clients. He wouldn't be driving around in a rig [like the ones shown in the photo].”
Both brothers admitted they found the image and subsequent TradeWinds article about Fox’s photo choice amusing and said Steve would have as well had it not been for the stress ofthe eight-month ordeal and unwanted publicity surrounding his employer.
“You may understand that Steve is most interested in ending this story,” Mark continued in heartfelt email, adding: “Our family’s desire is to have this story go away and get our brother safe on US soil…Steve Dolan was not in that photo and had nothing to do with it.”
Fox’s photo shows a man standing next to the tire of a parked truck carrying an APL container with his back turned to the camera and hands hidden from sight, which prompted uncomfortable questions about what was going on outside of view.
In a recent email sent to family and friends Dolan said he expects his passport will be returned shortly and hopes to return to his wife, nine brothers and sister in the US within the next four to six weeks. The email can be viewed in full by clicking on the link under 'Related Media' to the right.
Steve Dolan and a spokesman for APL affiliate NOL declined to comment when contacted about the weapons case and the unusual photograph.
