Possibilities:
1. The beard in his possession belonged to a beheaded hostage.
2. He was in possession of an illegally obtained wild turkey beard out of season.
3. The former prisoner is full of BS (bearded Streisand)
4. The author of the piece was using too much of former ambassador to Gabon Joe Wilson's 'literary flair.'
5. The New York Times had something to do with the editing of the article.
6. The deportee is a Democrat, and the truth is not in him. Or her, as the case may be.
7. The deportee meant to say he was put behind bars because of a "wrong Bush"- not because of a "long beard."