Military

DATE= 7/14/04

TYPE=CORRESPONDENT REPORT

TITLE=AFGHANISTAN / HOAX (L-ONLY)

NUMBER=2-317487

BYLINE= MICHAEL KITCHEN

DATELINE= ISLAMABAD

HEADLINE: Peacekeepers in Afghanistan Fooled by US Bounty Hunters

INTRO: International peacekeepers in Afghanistan say they were were

tricked into working with a group of alleged American bounty hunters illegally trying to capture high profile terror suspects. VOA's Michael Kitchen reports from Islamabad.

TEXT: A spokesman for the peacekeeping mission says the multinational force unwittingly aided three U.S. nationals who were allegedly running their own self-styled counter-terrorism operations last month.

The peacekeepers sent a bomb sweeping and disposal team, including a bomb-sniffing dog, to sites that had just been raided by the alleged bounty hunters.

Afghan authorities arrested the three Americans, led by former soldier Jonathan Idema, earlier this month after they were allegedly caught operating a private prison, holding eight Afghans.

Mr. Idema and his colleagues are reported to have rounded up the prisoners while conducting raids around Kabul.

Some reports from Afghanistan say the men were interested in collecting multi-million dollar rewards offered by the United States for the capture of high-profile fugitive terror suspects, such as al-Qaida leader Osama bin Laden.

Commander Chris Henderson is a spokesman for the peacekeeping mission, known as the International Security Assistance Force, or ISAF.

He says Mr. Idema was able to convince an ISAF liaison officer that he

was attached to U.S. military forces in Afghanistan.

/// HENDERSON ACT 1 ///

"The ISAF personnel believed that he was what he purported to be and

therefore they believed they were providing legitimate support to a

legitimate security agency."

/// END ACT ///

He says that initially, the men were very convincing.

/// HENDERSON ACT 2 ///

"Mr. Idema and his team, if you will, were operating wearing U.S.-style

military uniforms. They wore U.S. flags on their shoulders."

/// END ACT ///

But he says ISAF commanders eventually began to wonder why the men were not coordinating their activities with the peacekeepers, who are the lead security force in Kabul. Commander Henderson says ISAF officers then contacted U.S. military officials who said Mr. Idema had no connection to American forces.

The spokesman says ISAF troops never took part in Mr. Idema's

raids, but only swept for ordinance following the supposed operations.

Some captives are reported to have been beaten by the alleged bounty hunters, but Commander Henderson says ISAF bomb disposal personnel

did not witness any acts of abuse on the prisoners. (SIGNED)

NEB/MK/KBK/FC