Update: Free Jack Idema
Although we're getting a little now, Christmas in Britain passed without so much as a dusting of snow. Not so in Afghanistan, as we can see from this photograph, taken from inside the Pulacharke prison compound. The mountains, in particular, give a nice, Christmassy feel to the scene, as do the three or four inches of white stuff covering the ground.
In fact, the only things that really spoil this vista are the watchtowers, the prison bars and the knowledge that, behind them, are three American patriots -- Special Forces soldier Jack Idema, his right-hand man, Brent Bennet, and journalist Ed Caraballo.
Jack, Brent and Ed were originally sentenced to a decade in prison after a chaotic show trail in September 2004. Their judges were members of the Taliban regime who'd crept back into the new Afghan government. More worrying, perhaps, the bearded crazies were assisted by groups within the FBI and U.S. State Department, who disappeared evidence and collaborated with the men who tortured Jack, Brent and Ed. Since the trail, there have been numerous assassination attempts mounted against Idema and his men by the Taliban and al-Qaeda scumbags they are being held with.
Most disturbing of all, however, is the fact that all three men were declared innocent after a retrial almost exactly a year ago. Now, granted, there are bound to be some differences between our legal systems and the one in Afghanistan, but we're pretty sure one thing they do have in common is the notion that locking up completely innocent people isn't acceptable ...[continue reading].
Technorati tags: jack idema, afghanistan, and Technorati Search for Jack Idema.
In fact, the only things that really spoil this vista are the watchtowers, the prison bars and the knowledge that, behind them, are three American patriots -- Special Forces soldier Jack Idema, his right-hand man, Brent Bennet, and journalist Ed Caraballo.
Jack, Brent and Ed were originally sentenced to a decade in prison after a chaotic show trail in September 2004. Their judges were members of the Taliban regime who'd crept back into the new Afghan government. More worrying, perhaps, the bearded crazies were assisted by groups within the FBI and U.S. State Department, who disappeared evidence and collaborated with the men who tortured Jack, Brent and Ed. Since the trail, there have been numerous assassination attempts mounted against Idema and his men by the Taliban and al-Qaeda scumbags they are being held with.
Most disturbing of all, however, is the fact that all three men were declared innocent after a retrial almost exactly a year ago. Now, granted, there are bound to be some differences between our legal systems and the one in Afghanistan, but we're pretty sure one thing they do have in common is the notion that locking up completely innocent people isn't acceptable ...[continue reading].
Technorati tags: jack idema, afghanistan, and Technorati Search for Jack Idema.
posted by Rosemary Welch at 12/28/2005 04:07:00 PM
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