Private Interrogation Centre backed by US?

US backed me, claims Kabul jailer

The saga of "Jack" Idema, the American arrested for running a private interrogation centre in Afghanistan, has taken a new twist.

He has claimed he was acting with the knowledge and agreement of US Defence Secretary Donald Rumsfeld's office.

"We were working for the US counter-terrorist group and working with the Pentagon and some other federal agencies," said Idema, whose full name is Jonathon Keith Idema, before the opening of a court hearing in Kabul on Wednesday.

"We were in contact directly by fax and email and phone with Donald Rumsfeld's office," he said. "The American authorities absolutely condoned what we did. We have extensive evidence to that . . . We're prepared to show emails and correspondence and tape-recorded conversations."

It's claimed that Idema's lawyer has evidence that the US gov has knowledge of his "intended activities in Afghanistan" yet the US gov claims he is not employed by or has anything to do with them.

More guns for hire? Apparently Idema is also hunting Bin Laden for his $US25 million bounty.

[edit on 22-7-2004 by cargo]