Abdul Rahim Wardak

Abdul Rahim Wardak is the Defence Minister of Afghanistan. He was appointed by President Hamid Karzai on December 23, 2004. [http://www.baag.org.uk/downloads/monthly%20review%2004/55-December%202004.pdf Hamid Karzai announces his new cabinet (.pdf)] , "Afghanistan: Monthly Review", December 2004] Before this appointment General Wardak was the deputy Defence Minister to Mohammed Fahim. Wardak was also involved in the Soviet war in Afghanistan. He is an ethnic Pashtun from Wardak.

Career

General Wardak has studied overseas in U.S. military schools as well as in Egypt. He joined the army in Afghanistan and became an officer in the 1980s but defected to the Mujahideen movement, and joined the National Islamic Front of Afghanistan party of Pir Sayyed Ahmad Gailani. He was a notable Mujahideen commander, and testified several times before the U.S Congress during the war against the Soviets. In 1989, he was wounded by a Scud missile and received treatment in the United States.

Not "reasonably available" to provide testimony for Guantanamo detainees

Two Guantanamo Bay detainees, Hiztullah Nasrat Yar and his father, Nasrat Khan, claimed, during their Combatant Status Review Tribunals, that Yar had been assigned the responsibility to guard the weapons cache that triggered his arrest by General Wardak himself. [http://www.defenselink.mil/pubs/foi/detainees/csrt/Set_2_0098-0204.pdf Witness statement (.pdf)] , from Haji Nasrat Khan's"Combatant Status Review Tribunal" - page 26] They had requested Wardak provide an affidavit, testifying to his role. Their Tribunals had told them that the State Department had contacted the Afghan government, and that Wardak's testimony would be unavailable.

Another Guantanamo detainee Hamidullah, claimed to be a protege of General Wardak's, because they both supported the restoration of Zahir Shah, the last King of Afghanistan.

The "Boston Globe" reported that Guantanamo detainees were routinely told that witnesses who could have been found with a trivial effort were "not reasonably available. [http://www.boston.com/news/world/asia/articles/2006/06/18/detainees_not_given_access_to_witnesses/ Detainees not given access to witnesses: But in one case, 3 quickly found] , "Boston Globe", June 18 2006] [http://jurist.law.pitt.edu/paperchase/2006/06/guantanamo-bay-detainees-not-given.php Guantanamo Bay detainees not given access to witnesses despite availability] , "The Jurist", June 18 2006]

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