Posted on 07/22/2004 6:33:51 AM PDT by Valin
One of the three U.S. citizens accused of torturing Afghans in a private jail said today that the they acted with the support and knowledge of U.S. Defense Department officials, the Associated Press reported.
Jonathan K. Idema and two other men went on trial today in Afghanistan's capital, Kabul, following their arrest on July 5. The charges against them include hostage-taking and torture. Several of their former detainees told the court they were beaten, doused with boiling water and deprived of food, AP said.
U.S. and Afghan authorities said the defendants were vigilantes posing as U.S. Special Forces members and had no official backing. ``The American authorities absolutely condoned what we did; they absolutely supported what we did,'' AP cited Idema as saying.
Idema also said after the court appearance that he had regular contact by phone and e-mail with Pentagon officials ``at the highest level,'' AP reported. The trial has been adjourned for two weeks to allow Idema and the other Americans, Brett Bennett and Edward Caraballo, to prepare their defense. Four Afghans are also accused of helping them, AP reported.
Pay no attention to the fat ex security advisor behind the curtain. Look, over there - its a prison scandal!
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