Invasion of Afghanistan prisoner escapes
Encyclopedia
During the 2001 Invasion of Afghanistan
, many Taliban, al-Qaeda
and militant fighters were captured and held at military bases in the region. On several occasions, there were instances of mass escapes.
managed to escape. Some reporters suggested they were actually released.
, the highest-ranked prisoner at the base and one of the highest-ranked al-Qaeda officers ever captured, escaped along with Libian Abu Yahya al-Libi
, Saudi Muhammad Jafar Jamal al-Kahtani
and Syrian Abdullah Al-Shami.
All four prisoners had been individually found guilty of various acts of belligerence, and thus assigned to "Cell 119" in the days before the escape, the only cell set apart from the rest - though obstructed from guards' view.
On the night of July 15, the prisoners were all accounted for at the 01:50 headcount, then picked the lock
of the cell, changed out of their prison uniforms, sneaked into the main camp area and crawled over a damaged wall and crossed a Soviet-era
minefield to meet a getaway vehicle.
After their disappearance was noted at the 03:45 headcount, a massive manhunt
, including the use of helicopters, was dispatched, though didn't manage to find any of the escapees. A military police
officer was initially suspected of aiding their escape, but was cleared.
Initial reports from the U.S. military gave different names for the escapees, and included a reference to Libyan Hasan Qayad, who had appeared in a video giving a sermon on the end of Ramadan
4 November 2005.
In a later interview with Newsweek
, an unnamed Taliban commander suggested that the four prisoners had actually been secretly released in exchange for captured US troops. Pentagon spokesman Bryan Whitman spoke to the press stating that this "clearly wasn't the US military's finest hour".
On 18 October Kahtani released a videotape in Pakistan, detailing the escape and pledging further attacks against Saudi Arabia and United States.
Al-Faruq was killed in September 2006. Al-Kathani was captured in November 2006. Al-Shami was killed in July 2008. Al-Libi is still at large. http://www.nytimes.com/2006/09/26/world/middleeast/26iraq.html?ex=1316923200&en=cc4c22e11e7feed4&ei=5088&partner=rssnyt&emc=rss
http://aawsat.com/english/news.asp?section=1&id=7022
http://articles.cnn.com/2008-07-31/world/alqaeda.killed_1_al-qaeda-al-libi-airstrike?_s=PM:WORLD
War in Afghanistan (2001–present)
The War in Afghanistan began on October 7, 2001, as the armed forces of the United States of America, the United Kingdom, Australia, and the Afghan United Front launched Operation Enduring Freedom...
, many Taliban, al-Qaeda
Al-Qaeda
Al-Qaeda is a global broad-based militant Islamist terrorist organization founded by Osama bin Laden sometime between August 1988 and late 1989. It operates as a network comprising both a multinational, stateless army and a radical Sunni Muslim movement calling for global Jihad...
and militant fighters were captured and held at military bases in the region. On several occasions, there were instances of mass escapes.
2003
On October 11, 2003, nearly 30 prisoners held near KandaharKandahar
Kandahar is the second largest city in Afghanistan, with a population of about 512,200 as of 2011. It is the capital of Kandahar Province, located in the south of the country at about 1,005 m above sea level...
managed to escape. Some reporters suggested they were actually released.
2005
In July 2005, Omar al-FaruqOmar al-Faruq
Omar al-Faruq was a Kuwaiti of Iraqi descent, and a senior al-Qaeda member. He was a liaison between al-Qaeda and Islamic terrorists in the Far East, particularly Jemaah Islamiyah. He was captured in Bogor, Indonesia in 2002 by an Indonesian security agent who handed him over to the United States...
, the highest-ranked prisoner at the base and one of the highest-ranked al-Qaeda officers ever captured, escaped along with Libian Abu Yahya al-Libi
Abu Yahya al-Libi
Abu Yahya al-Libi , c. 1963, is an Islamist ideologue and leading high-ranking official within al-Qaeda, and an alleged member of the Libyan Islamic Fighting Group. and is believed to be able to speak Urdu, Pashto and Arabic....
, Saudi Muhammad Jafar Jamal al-Kahtani
Muhammad Jafar Jamal al-Kahtani
Muhammad Jafar Jamal al-Kahtani is a citizen of Saudi Arabia who was a captive held in extrajudicial detention in the United States' Bagram Theater Internment Facility....
and Syrian Abdullah Al-Shami.
All four prisoners had been individually found guilty of various acts of belligerence, and thus assigned to "Cell 119" in the days before the escape, the only cell set apart from the rest - though obstructed from guards' view.
On the night of July 15, the prisoners were all accounted for at the 01:50 headcount, then picked the lock
Lock picking
Lock picking is the art of unlocking a lock by analyzing and manipulating the components of the lock device, without the original key. Although lock picking can be associated with criminal intent, it is an essential skill for a locksmith...
of the cell, changed out of their prison uniforms, sneaked into the main camp area and crawled over a damaged wall and crossed a Soviet-era
Soviet war in Afghanistan
The Soviet war in Afghanistan was a nine-year conflict involving the Soviet Union, supporting the Marxist-Leninist government of the Democratic Republic of Afghanistan against the Afghan Mujahideen and foreign "Arab–Afghan" volunteers...
minefield to meet a getaway vehicle.
After their disappearance was noted at the 03:45 headcount, a massive manhunt
Manhunt (law enforcement)
In law enforcement, a manhunt is a search for a dangerous fugitive involving the use of all available police units and technology and sometimes help from the public....
, including the use of helicopters, was dispatched, though didn't manage to find any of the escapees. A military police
Military police
Military police are police organisations connected with, or part of, the military of a state. The word can have different meanings in different countries, and may refer to:...
officer was initially suspected of aiding their escape, but was cleared.
Initial reports from the U.S. military gave different names for the escapees, and included a reference to Libyan Hasan Qayad, who had appeared in a video giving a sermon on the end of Ramadan
Ramadan
Ramadan is the ninth month of the Islamic calendar, which lasts 29 or 30 days. It is the Islamic month of fasting, in which participating Muslims refrain from eating, drinking, smoking and sex during daylight hours and is intended to teach Muslims about patience, spirituality, humility and...
4 November 2005.
In a later interview with Newsweek
Newsweek
Newsweek is an American weekly news magazine published in New York City. It is distributed throughout the United States and internationally. It is the second-largest news weekly magazine in the U.S., having trailed Time in circulation and advertising revenue for most of its existence...
, an unnamed Taliban commander suggested that the four prisoners had actually been secretly released in exchange for captured US troops. Pentagon spokesman Bryan Whitman spoke to the press stating that this "clearly wasn't the US military's finest hour".
On 18 October Kahtani released a videotape in Pakistan, detailing the escape and pledging further attacks against Saudi Arabia and United States.
Al-Faruq was killed in September 2006. Al-Kathani was captured in November 2006. Al-Shami was killed in July 2008. Al-Libi is still at large. http://www.nytimes.com/2006/09/26/world/middleeast/26iraq.html?ex=1316923200&en=cc4c22e11e7feed4&ei=5088&partner=rssnyt&emc=rss
http://aawsat.com/english/news.asp?section=1&id=7022
http://articles.cnn.com/2008-07-31/world/alqaeda.killed_1_al-qaeda-al-libi-airstrike?_s=PM:WORLD