Released Afghans talkabout their captivity
(22 Sep 2004) 1. Roof of the mosque in the presidential palace 2. Prisoners released from Guantanamo Bay entering the mosque 3 Two shots of the recently released prisoners 4. SOUNDBITE (Pashtun) Bader Zaman Bader, released from Guantanamo Bay two days ago: "We are innocent. That's why right now we are standing here before you. There are so many people who are just like us still there, shopkeepers, farmers, all ordinary people. Those people that the Americans are after, the terrorists, the criminals, they are not the type of people that are in that jail. However, Americans do have the right to go after those terrorists. They should punish those people who attacked them." 5. Cutaway of plimsoll shoes worn by the prisoners 6. SOUNDBITE (Pashtun) Bader Zaman Bader, released from Guantanamo Bay: "We have promised the government of Afghanistan that we will do our best for the development of the country. We will start a new life. We also asked the government not to abandon us and we assured the people we will definitely support the government. When the news of our arrival home gets back to those still in jail it will give them hope, and God willing they'll come home and serve their country too." 7. Various shots of recently released Guantanamo Bay inmates 8. Wide shot of US army press conference 9. SOUNDBITE (English) Major Scott Nelson, military spokesman: "The reason that the United States released these individuals is per the request of the government of Afghanistan, just as we have released prisoners at the request of the government of Pakistan, as you may have seen." 10. Cutaway press conference STORYLINE: Afghanistan prisoners, including a former Taliban commander, arrived home from the US jail at Guantanamo Bay, Cuba, on Wednesday, proclaiming their innocence. US military spokesman Major Scott Nelson said the release came at the request of the Afghanistan government, led by President Hamid Karzai. Karzai has released hundreds of Taliban prisoners from Afghan jails ahead of the October 9 presidential election, and on Wednesday officials presented 11 Afghans freed from the US prison in Guantanamo Bay. The prisoners included Naim Kuchi, a leader of Afghanistan's nomadic Kuchi tribe, detained near Kabul by US forces in January last year. Kuchi served as a commander in Logar province during Taliban rule and retained his status as tribal leader after the fall of the hardline regime. At the time, the military provided no explanation for his arrest, though rights groups said he was detained on suspicion of weapons smuggling. Another former prisoner called Bader Zaman Bader said he was interrogated "150 times" by his American jailers, but never abused. However, another from the group, who declined to give his name, insisted he was beaten "incredibly". US and allied Afghan forces have captured thousands of suspected Taliban and al-Qaida members during and since the bombing campaign which ousted the Taliban. Hundreds were classified as "enemy combatants" and transferred to Guantanamo Bay. It's unclear how many Afghans remain among some 550 prisoners still being held there. Find out more about AP Archive: http://www.aparchive.com/HowWeWork Twitter: / ap_archive Facebook: / aparchives Instagram: / apnews You can license this story through AP Archive: http://www.aparchive.com/metadata/you...
