Document: Spy suspect probed before arrival in Cuba prison

[Judi Lynn]

Document: Spy suspect probed before arrival in Cuba prison
Affidavit indicates Air Force sent al Halabi to Gitmo despite doubts
From Barbara Starr
CNN Pentagon
Friday, September 26, 2003 Posted: 9:50 AM EDT (1350 GMT)


WASHINGTON (CNN) -- An affidavit that sought a search warrant indicates the U.S. Air Force was scrutinizing the activities of accused spy Ahmad al Halabi while he was still stationed in California and before he was deployed to the U.S. prison at Guantanamo Bay, Cuba.

Al Halabi has been charged with espionage and aiding the enemy by sending classified information about the camp by e-mail and conspiring to give classified information to someone in Syria.

The affidavit does not explain why the military allowed him to be deployed to Guantanamo even though he was under investigation at Travis Air Force Base.

In the affidavit, Special Agent Lance Wega of the Air Force Office of Special Investigations said the investigation of al Halabi was "initiated based on reports of suspicious activity while he was stationed at Travis AFB and also while deployed to Kuwait and Guantanamo Bay (GTMO) Naval Base, Cuba." (snip)

(snip) While in Cuba, the affidavit said, "al Halabi made statements criticizing United States policy with regard to the detainees and U.S. foreign policy in the Middle East. He has also expressed sympathy for and has had unauthorized contact with the detainees, including providing unauthorized items of comfort to the detainees."
(snip/...)

http://www.cnn.com/2003/US/09/26/guantanamobay.probe/index.html