Posted on 07/12/2004 7:21:09 PM PDT by Former Military Chick
Time July 19, 2004
Notebook
His Own Abu Ghraib
In Afghanistan, an ex-Green Beret sets up a private prison
By Tim McGirk
When Afghan authorities raided the house of a former Green Beret named Jonathan (Jack) Idema in Kabul last week, they were startled to find a makeshift prison. Inside were three Afghan prisoners hanging from their feet. Five more men were locked up and badly beaten. Another example of prison abuse by U.S. forces? No, this do-it-yourself Abu Ghraib was a private jail being run by Idema and two other Americans who, along with several Afghan helpers, appear to have set themselves up as antiterrorist bounty hunters. "They pretended they were fighting terrorism," said Interior Minister Ali Ahmad Jalali, after the three Americans were arrested. "But they were outlaws."
Idema, 47, was well known to reporters in Kabul. Given to explosive bursts of rage and camouflage uniforms, he stalked Kabul's few bars and foreign TV-news bureaus, punctuating his stories of chasing al-Qaeda with a flourish of his pistol. At least once he came up with the goods: a seven-hour al-Qaeda training video, parts of which aired in January 2002 on CBS's 60 Minutes. He hinted that he was working undercover for U.S. special forces and as a "special adviser" for Afghan authorities. But he was one of many shadowy, ex — special-operations types drawn to Afghanistan out of misguided patriotism or because of the prospect of fat rewards — the bounty on Osama bin Laden now exceeds $50 million, and that on Taliban chief Mullah Mohammed Omar $25 million.
The discovery of Idema's prison came at a bad time for U.S. forces, who have faced charges of prison brutality in Afghanistan similar to those widely publicized in Iraq. Three Afghan prisoners have died while in custody, and several others were allegedly subjected to torture and sexual abuse. In Washington a U.S. State Department spokesman swiftly disavowed any official link to Idema's gang, saying, "The U.S. government does not employ or sponsor these men." For Idema, who officials say may face kidnapping charges in Afghanistan, the bounty-hunting days appear to be over.
Posted here also: http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1169305/posts
I have often wondered if Marckino and his boys (security firm) are over there hunting any of these guys -
Not condoned, because this guy is doing way more harm than good in the long run.
I say toenails.
Dont knock captialism or garage inventors...the independent guys often come up with the best ideas...
If they come home with Bin Ladens head in a bowling bag....good on em
How many thousand US citizens viciously murdered on 09-11?
I fthis guy is running a freelance unofficail prison then it's a matter of Afgan law. What is there penalty for kidnapping?
If this guy is running a freelance unofficial prison, then it's a matter of Afgan law. What is their penalty for kidnapping?
Man, I cannot type tonight!
He is a has-been. There are plenty of Seals and other SF types who can do a far more efficient job than this madman can, and legally.
In Afghanistan, an ex-Green Beret sets up a private prison
This is despicable. The headline writer for this piece of schlock is intentionally trying to tie the actions of this mercenary to the REAL US Army.
I haven't seen in any of the hype pieces on this story where anyone bothers to ask WHY this jackass is 'former'. Did it occur to any of them that we separated our employment contract with this jackass because he's a jackass?
You had asked an important question so I went ahead and did a little reserach and the following article was the best I could come up with as the background of the FORMER GREEN BERET.
:: Welcome to Manila Bulletin Online ::
Bounty hunters found in Kabul
y DUNCAN CAMPBELL & KITTY LOGAN
KABUL, Afghanistan — Afghan security forces and the US military have admitted they appeared to have uncovered a freelance counter-terrorism mission by bounty hunters, who may have been lured to the country by the prospect of earning multimillion-dollar rewards.
When Afghan police burst into the large suburban house in Kabul, they were not expecting to see three men strapped to the ceiling and hanging by their feet.
This was supposedly an import business, after all.
But as they released the men, and five other captives who were also in the house, officers realised they had stumbled upon a private jail where Afghan prisoners were being locked up and tortured.
Yesterday (JULY8), Afghan security forces and the US military admitted they appeared to have uncovered a freelance counterterrorism mission by bounty hunters, who may have been lured to the country by the prospect of earning multimillion-dollar rewards.
At the heart of their investigation is a former American special forces soldier, Jonathan Keith ‘Jack’ Idema, who is alleged to have run the private jail and was being questioned last night.
Idema, who is said to be always heavily armed, is far from the only ex-military man to be making a living in Kabul, which has an atmosphere redolent of The Third Man, Graham Greene’s thriller about postwar Vienna.
Many of the private security guards attached to embassies and commercial companies have military histories, either real or imagined. Typically, they can be seen in dark glasses and camouflage gear, sub-machine guns slung over their shoulders as they ride through the city. They are often to be seen at the Mustafa hotel, one of the few bars that sell alcohol to ex-pats, who gather for the hotel’s popular roof-top barbecues.
Idema, it emerged yesterday, has a colourful past. A volatile former Green Beret with a criminal record in the US, he describes himself as a security adviser. He also claims that he is the person on whom George Clooney’s part in the Hollywood film The Peacemaker was based.
While there has been no official explanation of what sort of operation Idema was running, there are large rewards on offer for the capture of al-Qaida members in Afghanistan, which has led to a boom in the private security business.
The biggest reward of all - $25m - remains on offer for information leading to the capture of Osama bin Laden.
Idema knows all about him, having collaborated with Robin Moore, the author of the book, The Hunt for Bin Laden, a gung-ho account published in 2003 of the so-far unsuccessful pursuit of the al-Qaida leader.
Officials revealed that when Idema and two other Americans were arrested, they were all armed and dressed in US military-style uniforms.
An Afghan official told the Associated Press that the prisoners were ‘’hanging upside down’’ in the house in the quiet suburb of Kart- i-Parwen, and had been beaten.
The American military appear to have suspected that Idema was involved in something nefarious. Since last week, they have been quietly briefing journalists about him, stressing that he has no connection with the US forces.
And following the arrest, a public statement was issued by the US military saying that Idema had ‘’allegedly represented himself as an American government and/or military official ... The public should be aware that Idema does not represent the American government and we do not employ him.’’
Idema has a chequered history not untypical of some of the ex- military personnel who have been drawn to Kabul. (Guardian News Service)
Turn him over to the Afghanis for Afghani justice....
Thanks.
I'm on vacation here and I have a real slow connection, so let me keep it simple:
Was he killing muslim terrorists? (OK let me rephrase it... Was he killing terrorist INSURGENTS?)
1) YES
2) NO
3) WHO CARES?
So thats where the reporters are hiding, in bars!
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.