Afghans free jailed US journalist (covert torture filmmaker Caraballo )

[Robbien]

Edward Caraballo, 44, was arrested along with two other Americans in 2004 after a raid on a house in the capital uncovered eight Afghans held captive.

Caraballo was released two months early under a presidential decree, a prison official was quoted as saying.

. . .

The New York documentary-maker was found guilty, along with Jonathan Idema and Brent Bennett, of running a jail and torturing captives in September 2004.

The US branded Idema, a former special forces soldier, as a bounty hunter who was attracted by the multi-million dollar rewards offered for Osama Bin Laden and other top al-Qaeda men.

But Mr Idema insisted his work was approved by Afghan and US authorities - a claim that US officials have denied - and that Mr Caraballo was a journalist filming them.

Idema and Bennett are serving five and three year sentences respectively.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/south_asia/4960156.stm

[ellenfl]

1. this could get interesting. eom

[formercia]

2. I wonder if you have to buy your own toilet paper in that jail n/t

[lostexpectation]

3. freedom troops or something they called themselves

the sickest of sick freepers

[UpInArms]

4. Afghans free jailed U.S. journalist (was with Jack Idema)

http://go.reuters.co.uk/newsArticle.jhtml?type=worldNews&storyID=1201969§ion=news&src=rss/uk/worldNews

KABUL (Reuters) - An American journalist was freed from jail in Afghanistan on Sunday after serving most of a two-year sentence for his involvement in running a private jail and illegally detaining men in a freelance war on terror.

Emmy award-winning documentary maker Edward Caraballo, 44, from New York, was one of three Americans jailed in 2004 after they were convicted of running a jail and torturing some men.

"He was released today under a presidential decree ... he's left the country," said Salaam Bakhshi, governor of the Kabul's Pul-i-Charkhi jail, where Caraballo and the other two Americans have been held.

<snip>

Idema and his colleagues were accused of torturing eight Afghan men found at their house in Kabul when they were arrested following a shootout with security forces.

Pre-trial media reports around the world portrayed Idema as a vigilante and bounty hunter chasing the $25 million (14 million pound) fortune U.S. authorities have placed on the head of Osama bin Laden, who is thought to be hiding along the Afghan-Pakistan border.

...more...