Jonathan Idema

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Jonathan Keith "Jack" Idema (born 1957 in Poughkeepsie, New York) is an American self-proclaimed vigilante and independent security contractor who is currenlty serving a sentence in the Pul-e-Charkhi prison in Afghanistan for crimes committed there. For several years, Idema represented himself to the American and international media, members of the military, and Afghani nationals as a U.S. government-sponsored special forces operative. The validity of Idema's assertions, however, is in dispute, with the U.S. government denying his claims. Some of his more vociferous critics, including those formerly associated with him during his controversial activities in Afghanistan, believe that his behavior indicates that Idema is either a con artist, delusional, or both. Others accept the veracity of his claims, believing that he is being unjustly punished for actions condoned, if not officially sanctioned, by the U.S. military.

Idema is known to be litigious and has filed numerous law suits, or has threated legal action against his detractors. He also once sued Steven Spielberg over the 1997 film The Peacemaker. Idema charged that the Special Forces operative played by George Clooney was modeled on him. A judge dismissed Idema's claim and ordered him to pay US$267,079 in attorney fees.

[edit] Military service

Officially, Idema's military career was short-lived and fairly unexemplary. Army records note that Idema received an honorable discharge on February 24, 1978, after serving three years. However, his evaluations indicate that his performance while in the Army was at best average, and one superior officer, Capt. John D. Carlson stated that Idema "is without a doubt the most unmotivated, unprofessional, immature enlisted man I have ever known."^[1]

There is controversy surrounding Idema's military record, specifically whether or not he was a "Green Beret", a member of the U.S. Army Special Forces. In 1977, he apparently served at Fort Bragg army base, which also happens to be the headquaters for the Special Forces, where he received basic training, as well as Special Forces, scuba, and airborne training.^{[citation needed]}. According to Idema, he was youngest person to become a Green Beret at 18 years old ^[2] (another source says he was 19 at the time^[3]).

Idema was repeatedly recycled just to get through training group and failed 05B training twice and was then recycled into 11B training. Idema's father, a former U.S. Marine and World War II veteran, reportedly used congressional influence to pressure the Army to reinstate him for a third time, and would not have made it through without his father's intercession.^{[citation needed]} Idema was assigned as a reservist for the 11th Special Forces Group, and in 1981 re-enlisted in the Individual Ready Reserve. In 1984, Idema apparently was discharged with the rank of sergeant for poor fitness evaluations.^{[citation needed]}

During the 1990s, Idema owned and operated a paintball supply store in Fayetteville, NC, which gradually merged with a paramilitary equipment store. He also founded CounTerr-Group in Fayettville, which specializes in the expert training for counter terrorism, defensive and offensive assault tactics for both national and international security, public and private. In January 1994, Idema was arrested and charged with 58 counts of wire fraud, as well as conspiracy and impersonation of an officer; these charges were primarily related to fund-raising activities for his store. Idema's assertion is that the charges stemmed from non-specified confusion related to his work with Christian youth groups, for whom he apparently helped establish youth-oriented paintball activities.^{[citation needed]}

[edit] Unverified claims

Idema claims to have been active within the Army Special Forces during the early years of the civil war in El Salvador as part of Operation Quicksilver and aided in the training the El Salvadoran troops.^{[citation needed]} It was reported that Idema was in El Salvador at the time but that he was in-country as a civilian and not operating with any military unit.

He claims to have served several tours as an officer in the special forces of which is not true, having captured an al-Qaeda training videotape in Afghanistan in 2001 and selling it to Dan Rather at CBS for US$50,000, having discovered a Lithuanian nuclear arms smuggling ring, as well as to having provided continual information to the U.S. government concerning al-Qaeda operatives in Afghanistan most of which was later found to be inaccurate. It has been recorded that Idema did frequently contact the Defense Department through now Lieutenant-General William Boykin, and that the intelligence was duly acknowledged. However all of those contacts were outside the US Military operating channels and were all one-sided calls. While the US government was aware of Idema's activities in Afghanistan, they stated there was no relationship between them.

In the past, Idema did in fact take part in a Senate Hearing on the Nuclear briefcase delivered by two Agents to the Whitehouse.^{[citation needed]} Idema claims to be explosive ordinance expert though his training was rudimentary at best, showed how the isotopes could be used as a weapon along with a well respected nuclear physicist. It is their combined opinion of use which validated the possibility of using the isotopes as a WMD. Afghani press reports indicating Idema, and other Special Operation Forces were in Afghanistan in the 1980s and 1990s, during the Soviet Invasion, occupation and subsequent retreat were not found to be in error as far as Idema's participation is concerned. Idema did in fact have to be 'rescued' from the orginial Parlichuke Prison.

Idema is thought to have been bounty hunting in Afghanistan and was never on the U.S. government's payroll as presumed or made claim to. Idema returned to the United States twice during this period. Idema has made claim that his operation was known to the US government and his arrest was a set up by the FBI all of which is unfounded. Idema's arrest in Afghanistan was propelled by another Green Beret operating covertly. It is also purported that Idema made 'lever' payments in the past, via a false, illegal Federal Court Edit in North Carolina, his home state.

[edit] Activities in Afghanistan

In Afghanistan, Idema was known for wearing a desmal and prescription sunglasses frequently interacted with reporters from American media, often going to great lengths in his interviews to stress to journalists his connections with the CIA and Special Forces, without being able to elaborate further, which, in context, might suggest that he was a former member of Black Ops, reactivated and positioned in Afghanistan to hunt for Osama Bin Laden under operation Alec Station. Any relationship to the Northern Alliance was denied by their official representative in the United States.

It is precisely his attempts to create a high profile with the media that makes it unlikely Idema was officially connected with any branch of the military; covert operatives go to great lengths to avoid public appearances and media, and are barred from unauthorized contact. Idema was operating in Afghanistan with independent financial backing, most likely seeking the US$25 million bounty posted bin Laden based on his time spent in Tora Bora; though not part of the team which found Laden in 1991 or 1994.

Idema and his associates Brent Bennett and Edward Caraballo were arrested on 5 July 2004 by Afghan police during a raid in which they found eight Afghani men (some hanging from their feet) bound and hooded in detention. Idema claimed to have had private contact with US Pentagon claiming he was in phone, fax, and email contact with Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld's office; Lieutenant General Boykin and several other senior Pentagon officials. He claimed his group had prevented assassination attempts on Education Minister Yunus Qanooni and Defense Minister Marshal Mohammad Qasim Fahim. He also claimed the FBI interrogated several militants captured by his group. Idema also stated that after his arrest, the FBI removed from his premises hundreds of videos, photos and documents. Some of the pieces were later returned to Idema and his defense team. One of the videotapes shows Afghanistan's former education minister Yunus Qanooni thanking Idema for the arrest of two people, and offering his full cooperation in future raids. The US military received a detainee from Idema, although he was later released.

The Defense Department admitted having contact with Idema, but added his offer to work together in capturing terror suspects in Afghanistan was declined. In early 2004, Idema was in contact with Heather Anderson, the Pentagon's Acting Director of Security. Anderson was under the supervision of the chief official responsible for intelligence matters in Donald Rumsfeld's office. Idema told the Afghan court that Anderson commended his work and suggested making a contract, although she later withdrew the offer. Idema continued to contact Anderson's office in hopes of establishing a relationship. Bringing out this information is a blatant violation of the NSA security protocol.

Idema, Edward Caraballo and Brent Bennett were charged with torture, kidnapping and running a private jail. During the trial, Idema charged that he, Carabalo, and Bennett were being beaten while in Afghan custody, however, US authorities, stated the men were being treated humanely.

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 Afghanis working with Idema were sentenced to between one and five years imprisonment.

Caraballo was later pardoned by President Hamid Karzai and later returned to the United States. Bennett was freed early for good behavior on September 30, 2006.

[edit] Media coverage

• Robert Young Pelton, in his book about private security contractors, Licenced to Kill: Hired Guns in the War on Terror (ISBN 1400097819), devotes a chapter to Idema's exploits in Afghanistan, including his controversial involvement in the Robin Morris book The Hunt for Bin Laden.
• Mariah Blake, "Tin Soldier: An American Vigilante In Afghanistan, Using the Press for Profit and Glory," Columbia Journalism Review, January/February 2005.
• Peter Bergen's article published in Rolling Stone, "Jack Idema: Shadow Warrior," examines Idema's military career.
• Eric Campbell's book on reporting in war zones, Absuridstan (ISBN 0732279801), has a few chapters on Idema.
• Barry Farber, "The Case Against Keith Idema, an article supportive of Idema's claims.

[edit] External links

• Idema Super Patriots, Idema's website.
• Rogue Radio Live at Wide Awakes Radio (WARadio), a talk show on which Idema is a frequent guest.
• Cao's Blog, a site supportive of Idema, with coverage of his current situation.
• The Stupor Patriots, a blog highly critical of Idema, particulary of his claims to be a former special forces operator.

[edit] References