Posted on 09/23/2003 12:21:31 PM PDT by kattracks
WASHINGTON (AP) — An Air Force airman who worked as a translator at the U.S. prison camp for suspected terrorists has been charged with espionage and aiding the enemy, a military spokesman said Tuesday.Senior Airman Ahmad I. al-Halabi is being held at Vandenberg Air Force Base in California, spokesman Maj. Michael Shavers said.
Al-Halabi worked as an Arabic language translator at the prison camp for al-Qaida and Taliban suspects at Guantanamo Bay, Cuba, Shavers said. The Air Force enlisted man knew the Muslim chaplain at the prison arrested earlier this month, but it's unclear if the two arrests are linked, Shavers said.
Al-Halabi is charged with nine counts related to espionage, three counts of aiding the enemy, 11 counts of disobeying a lawful order, and nine counts of making a false official statement. The charges were brought against him at Vandenberg, Shavers said.
Al-Halabi was based at Travis Air Force Base in California and assigned to a logistics unit there, Shavers said.
Pentagon officials said an investigation into possible security breaches at Guantanamo Bay continues.
About 660 suspected al-Qaida or Taliban members are imprisoned at the U.S. Navy base. American officials are interrogating them for information on the terrorist network.
The military has classified many details about the prison camp and the detainees and has not identified any of the men being held there. Military officials have said the fight against terrorism could be hampered if terrorist groups got such information.
The Muslim military chaplain who ministered to the inmates at the camp, Army Capt. Yousef Yee, was arrested Sept. 10 in Jacksonville, Fla., after getting off a flight from Guantanamo Bay.
A senior law enforcement official said authorities confiscated classified documents Yee was carrying.
Yee, 35, is being held at a Navy brig in Charleston, S.C. A military magistrate ruled on Sept. 15 there was enough evidence to hold Yee for up to two months while the Army Criminal Investigative Division investigates.
Al-Halabi was arrested July 23 at the Naval Air Station in Jacksonville. The next day, military authorities flew al-Halabi to Travis Air Force Base. At some point later, he was transferred to Vandenberg, Shavers said.
A: Hmmm, let me see....
You've got that right. And make it a speedy trial.
A: Hmmm, let me see....
I think I know the answer, but actually voicing it would brand me as insensitive, prejudiced, and bigoted. Don't you just live it when common sense and political correctness collide?
Q: How long does it take to churn out arabic speakers from Army language school in Monterrey? The DoD may want to crank it up a bit...
When they graduate they are still students. They can be employed but they are not professional translators. Imagine calling someone who studied English for only one year your prime translation asset on national security products. What we need are a wide range of language assets from people who are not likely to betray us. Arab Christians (actual not in name only) and Jews who lived under Arab rule (and don't still have relatives in Arab countries) are two groups that we should continue to use.
Americans who are seduced by Islam or become overly enamored Arab culture can forget who they were supposed to serve. They can do damage independent of their skill competencies. Most Arab culture is ruled by Islam. It is easier to learn the language in a native environment. Those countries are not exactly known to be as friendly to Christians or Jews as they are to fellow Muslims. Always remember that when you find an American who knows Arabic. Watch for biases in their background and education. Have they compromised along the way ? Have they become arabists ?
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