Brent Bennett
Encyclopedia
Brent Bennett is a former US Army paratrooper
who was convicted by an Afghan
court on 15 September 2004 for participating in torture and kidnapping, and for running a private jail in Kabul
. Bennett and his associate Jonathan Idema
had been operating as independent security contractors
in Afghanistan, but had been representing themselves to the American and international media, members of the US military, and Afghan nationals as US government-sponsored covert operatives to track and apprehend Osama Bin Laden
and senior Taliban officials. The government has repeatedly denied the validity of their claims.
Bennett and Idema, along with journalist Edward Caraballo
were arrested by Afghan police on 5 July 2004, during a raid in which they found eight Afghan men (some hanging from their feet) bound and hooded in detention. On 15 September 2004 a three-judge Afghan panel headed by Judge Abdul Baset Bakhtyari sentenced both Idema and Bennett to a ten year prison term, while Caraballo received eight years. Idema and Bennett's sentences were later cut to five and three respectively. Caraballo claimed he was filming Idema and Bennett for a documentary
on counterterrorism. Four Afghans working with Idema were sentenced to between one and five years imprisonment.
The defendants claimed that there had never been any evidence the Afghans were abused. Moreover, Bennett and his family have maintained that he was working through official US channels and was abandoned by US officials after being arrested.
It is not known whether Bennett, as an associate of Idema's, collaborated with Idema in misrepresenting themselves or whether he was led by Idema to believe they were on a US government covert operation. Most of the media attention surrounding the case has been focused on Idema, the apparent leader of the group.
On 30 September 2006, after serving more than two years of his sentence, Bennett was released from prison and flown out Afghanistan. US officials secured Bennett a passport and a ticket out of the country, Bennet apparently then boarded a plane for Dubai.
While in the US Army, he spent time in units in Alaska
and North Carolina
. He never saw combat. After his discharge
, he settled in Fayetteville
, North Carolina, and worked in restaurant management
.
Paratrooper
Paratroopers are soldiers trained in parachuting and generally operate as part of an airborne force.Paratroopers are used for tactical advantage as they can be inserted into the battlefield from the air, thereby allowing them to be positioned in areas not accessible by land...
who was convicted by an Afghan
Afghanistan
Afghanistan , officially the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan, is a landlocked country located in the centre of Asia, forming South Asia, Central Asia and the Middle East. With a population of about 29 million, it has an area of , making it the 42nd most populous and 41st largest nation in the world...
court on 15 September 2004 for participating in torture and kidnapping, and for running a private jail in Kabul
Kabul
Kabul , spelt Caubul in some classic literatures, is the capital and largest city of Afghanistan. It is also the capital of the Kabul Province, located in the eastern section of Afghanistan...
. Bennett and his associate Jonathan Idema
Jonathan Idema
Jonathan Keith "Jack" Idema is a convicted felon and con artist who was also found gulty in September 2004 for running a private prison in Afghanistan and torturing Afghan citizens. At the time, Idema had been portraying himself as a U.S. government-sponsored special forces operative on a mission...
had been operating as independent security contractors
Private military company
A private military company or provides military and security services. These combatants are commonly known as mercenaries, though modern-day PMCs refer to their staff as security contractors, private military contractors or private security contractors, and refer to themselves as private military...
in Afghanistan, but had been representing themselves to the American and international media, members of the US military, and Afghan nationals as US government-sponsored covert operatives to track and apprehend Osama Bin Laden
Osama bin Laden
Osama bin Mohammed bin Awad bin Laden was the founder of the militant Islamist organization Al-Qaeda, the jihadist organization responsible for the September 11 attacks on the United States and numerous other mass-casualty attacks against civilian and military targets...
and senior Taliban officials. The government has repeatedly denied the validity of their claims.
Bennett and Idema, along with journalist Edward Caraballo
Edward Caraballo
Edward Caraballo is an American videographer and investigative photojournalist, specializing in covert photography. He was arrested in Afghanistan in 2004 while documenting the exploits of a vigilante group led by U.S. mercenary Jonathan "Jack" Idema...
were arrested by Afghan police on 5 July 2004, during a raid in which they found eight Afghan men (some hanging from their feet) bound and hooded in detention. On 15 September 2004 a three-judge Afghan panel headed by Judge Abdul Baset Bakhtyari sentenced both Idema and Bennett to a ten year prison term, while Caraballo received eight years. Idema and Bennett's sentences were later cut to five and three respectively. Caraballo claimed he was filming Idema and Bennett for a documentary
Documentary film
Documentary films constitute a broad category of nonfictional motion pictures intended to document some aspect of reality, primarily for the purposes of instruction or maintaining a historical record...
on counterterrorism. Four Afghans working with Idema were sentenced to between one and five years imprisonment.
The defendants claimed that there had never been any evidence the Afghans were abused. Moreover, Bennett and his family have maintained that he was working through official US channels and was abandoned by US officials after being arrested.
It is not known whether Bennett, as an associate of Idema's, collaborated with Idema in misrepresenting themselves or whether he was led by Idema to believe they were on a US government covert operation. Most of the media attention surrounding the case has been focused on Idema, the apparent leader of the group.
On 30 September 2006, after serving more than two years of his sentence, Bennett was released from prison and flown out Afghanistan. US officials secured Bennett a passport and a ticket out of the country, Bennet apparently then boarded a plane for Dubai.
While in the US Army, he spent time in units in Alaska
Alaska
Alaska is the largest state in the United States by area. It is situated in the northwest extremity of the North American continent, with Canada to the east, the Arctic Ocean to the north, and the Pacific Ocean to the west and south, with Russia further west across the Bering Strait...
and North Carolina
North Carolina
North Carolina is a state located in the southeastern United States. The state borders South Carolina and Georgia to the south, Tennessee to the west and Virginia to the north. North Carolina contains 100 counties. Its capital is Raleigh, and its largest city is Charlotte...
. He never saw combat. After his discharge
Military discharge
A military discharge is given when a member of the armed forces is released from their obligation to serve.-United States:Discharge or separation should not be confused with retirement; career U.S...
, he settled in Fayetteville
Fayetteville, North Carolina
Fayetteville is a city located in Cumberland County, North Carolina, United States. It is the county seat of Cumberland County, and is best known as the home of Fort Bragg, a U.S. Army post located northwest of the city....
, North Carolina, and worked in restaurant management
Restaurant management
Restaurant management is the profession of managing a restaurant. Associate, bachelor, and graduate degree programs are offered in restaurant management by community colleges, junior colleges, and some universities in the United States.-Floor management:...
.
External links
- "U.S. Bounty Hunter on Trial in Afghanistan", Soldier of Fortune Magazine.
- Bennett's perspective of the events, from Jonathan Idema's website.