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CNN Live At Daybreak

Some Prisoners in Afghanistan Do Not Interest U.S.

Aired January 11, 2002 - 06:33   ET

THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.

THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
COSTELLO: As the first batch of detainees head for prison at U.S. Navy Base in Cuba, there are still plenty of prisoners from the war who are not of interest to the United States.

CNN's Lisa Rose Weaver visited a presi -- visited a prison, rather, in Kabul to hear various hearings why some are behind bars.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

LISA ROSE WEAVER, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Kabul Intelligence Services Directorate Three. The basement, temporary home for Pakistani nationals detained on suspicion for membership in the al Qaeda network. These are among some 50 men being held here now.

No prison uniforms here, but the same accusation covers them all, bringing a violent form of jihad to the heartland of Muslim discontent. The men spend a lot of time praying, calling on the different names of Allah, perhaps for answers about why they're here. Most say they came to Afghanistan in the spirit of Islam, some acknowledge they came here to fight.

Naseed Rachman (ph) was injured outside Kabul in fighting the U.S. backed Northern Alliance, then he was arrested. He says a Pakistani commander, not the Taliban led him to battle.

NASEED RACHMAN (ph) (through translator): I was fighting infidels. We were told that the infidels have come to Afghanistan to torture the people, and so we should come and start a jihad.

ROSE WEAVER: Prison authorities say they're still investigating the men's cases. Until then, they'll stay here, caught in the wrong place with the wrong cause, but officials say they came to cause trouble.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE (through translator): If a person fights on the frontline, says the deputy chief of intelligence, that means they are fighting for a goal. They were trained from the outside.

ROSE WEAVER: Mohammed Yasoof (ph), a food vendor working in Kabul claims he was arrested simply because he's from Pakistan caught in the confusion as the Taliban were fleeing the city.

MOHAMMED YASOOF (ph) (through translator): Myself and all others want to be released and we are waiting to see what the government will do about this. I have no link with al Qaeda and no one can prove that I have, god willing.

ROSE WEAVER (on camera): The detainees here have fallen through a diplomatic gap. There are no Pakistani officials here to represent them and maybe (ph) demand that they be allowed home. U.S. forces, in principal, have access to all detainees with suspected links to al Qaeda, but contact to the Americans likely wouldn't do these men any good.

Lisa Rose Weaver, CNN, Kabul, Afghanistan.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

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