Afghans free U.S. torture jail man

[rpannier]

KABUL, Afghanistan (AP) -- An American imprisoned in Afghanistan for running a private jail for terror suspects has left the Afghan prison where he was held for almost three years and departed the country, the warden said Wednesday.

Jack Idema, a former Green Beret, was pardoned by President Hamid Karzai in late March as part of a general amnesty. Rahim Ahmadzai, Idema's Afghan lawyer, said the American left the prison outside Kabul on June 2 and flew out of Afghanistan. He did not know Idema's destination.

Shamir, the warden of Policharki prison where Idema was held, said Idema had wanted to stay in Afghanistan but couldn't for legal reasons. Shamir, who like many Afghans goes by one name, said he transported Idema and his dog, Nina, to the Kabul airport for the flight out.


snip

Idema was sentenced to 10 years in prison by a Kabul court in September 2004 on charges of entering Afghanistan illegally, making illegal arrests, establishing a private jail and torturing their captives.

snip

He said that departing would harm his chances of recovering documents, tapes and computer files that show his alleged relationship with U.S. officials. The U.S. Embassy in Kabul responded by saying that since Idema had been freed by Karzai, his claims no longer had merit.




link:
http://edition.cnn.com/2007/WORLD/asiapcf/06/13/afghan.usprisoner.ap/index.html

on note: You should read the whole story. It's kind of bizarre. Made me wonder about the whole affair.