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US Military Designates Afghan Journalist 'Unlawful Enemy Combatant'


The U.S. military says an Afghan journalist detained in Afghanistan for three months has been declared an "unlawful enemy combatant."

A military spokesman says a review board found what it calls "credible information" that the journalist, identified as Jawed Ahmad, poses a danger to U.S.-led coalition forces and the Afghan government.

The U.S. military has not disclosed any allegations or evidence against the 22-year-old journalist, who was working for Canadian Television. But the military says Ahmad was not targeted because of his work as a journalist.

U.S. forces detained him last October in the southern Afghan city of Kandahar and later transferred him to a compound in Bagram.

The U.S.-based Committee to Protect Journalists urged the military Tuesday to either charge Ahmad with a "recognizable offense" or release him immediately if it has no intention of charging him.

The U.S. military says Ahmad had a chance to make a statement to the review board. It did not say when Ahmad's review took place or whether he had a lawyer.

U.S. Defense Department spokesman Lieutenant Colonel Mark Wright told VOA Wednesday that Ahmad's case will be examined every six months. Wright said the review board will determine whether to continue Ahmad's detention, release him or transfer him to Afghan authorities.

Some information for this report was provided by AP.

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