FOB Salerno

FOB Salerno (also known as Firebase Salerno) is a "forward operating base" of the U.S. military in south eastern province of Khowst, near the city of Khost in Afghanistan. It has been nicknamed "Rocket City" due to the large amounts of incoming rocket and mortar fire in previous years.

December 1 2002 rocket attack

Several rockets were fired at Firebase Salerno on December 1 2002.cite news
url=http://www.nytimes.com/2005/05/20/international/asia/20abuse.html?ei=5088&en=4579c146cb14cfd6&ex=1274241600&pagewanted=all
title=In U.S. Report, Brutal Details of 2 Afghan Inmates' Deaths
author=Tim Golden
publisher=New York Times
date=May 20 2005
accessdate=2007-03-27]
Jan Baz Khan, the local militia commander who American forces paid to provide local security around the base quickly turned over a number of suspects he assured the Americans were responsible for the attack.

Dilawar a taxi driver who Jan Baz Khan turned over to the Americans succumbed to injuries on December 10 2002. (see Bagram torture and prisoner abuse).Golden reported that, by February 2003, American intelligence analysts had concluded that Jan Baz Khan had been responsible for the attack, that he had sold innocent men to them for the bounty.Close to a dozen other men were held in Guantanamo due to Jan Baz Khan's allegation, or to an alleged association with him.

Captives held because of an alleged connection to the attack on Firebase Salerno

* The local chief of the new Afghan Intelligence Agency's Counter-narcotics branch who was denounced by Jan Baz Khan, prior to American intelligence officials losing confidence in Jan Baz Khan. [http://www.defenselink.mil/pubs/foi/detainees/csrt/Set_24_1790-1831.pdf#9 Summarized transcripts (.pdf)] , from Khandan Kadir's "Combatant Status Review Tribunal" - pages 9-31] [http://www.defenselink.mil/pubs/foi/detainees/csrt/ARB_Transcript_Set_9_21017-21351..pdf Summarized transcript (.pdf)] , from Khandan Kadir's "Administrative Review Board hearing" - pages 1-21] Jan Baz Khan commanded the local militia troops that accompanied the Americans who captured Khandan Kadir. However, after American intelligence officials lost confidence in Jan Baz Khan, Kadir faced the allegation that he was captured with Jan Baz Khan.
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*Azimullah and Mahbub Rahman were students at a small Madrassa in the village of Zaku Khel, who were accused of spying on Firebase Salerno, prior to the rocket attack.
*Mohammed Salim was a traveler they met the day of their capture, whose testimony Mahbub Rahman requested.
**Although Mahbub Rahman's Tribunal's President ruled his testimony "relevant, it was then ruled "not reasonably available", when the camp authorities at the Bagram Theater Detention Facility acknowledged they still had Salim in custody, they declined to take a witness statement from him.
**Rahman Tulah was a third student who attended the Madrass in Zaku Khel
*American intelligence analysts told Mahbub Rahman's Administrative Review Board that known terrorist were from Zaku Khel.
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*Following the al Qaeda attack on September 11, 2001, the Northern Alliance started its sweep from the North, and independent Afghan militia leader were encouraged to rise up and overthrow the Taliban locally.
John Burns, [http://www.commondreams.org/headlines02/0202-01.htm Villagers Add to Reports of Raids Gone Astray] , "New York Times", February 2 2002] [http://www.defenselink.mil/pubs/foi/detainees/csrt/Set_27_1901-1948.pdf#36 Summarized transcripts (.pdf)] , from Abib Sarajuddin's "Combatant Status Review Tribunal" - pages 36-41] [http://www.defenselink.mil/pubs/foi/detainees/csrt/ARB_Transcript_Set_6_20255-20496.pdf#193 Summarized transcript (.pdf)] , from Abib Sarajuddin's " Administrative Review Board hearing" - page 193] [http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-srv/nation/specials/guantanamo/FedaAhmed.pdf Summarized transcripts (.pdf)] , from Mohammad Gul's "Combatant Status Review Tribunal" - [http://www.defenselink.mil/pubs/foi/detainees/csrt/Set_19_1561-1605.pdf - mirror - pages 1-12] ] [http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-srv/nation/specials/guantanamo/GulZaman.pdf#39 Summarized transcripts (.pdf)] , from Gul Zaman's "Combatant Status Review Tribunal" - [http://www.defenselink.mil/pubs/foi/detainees/csrt/Set_26_1848-1900.pdf mirror - pages 39-53] ] [http://www.defenselink.mil/pubs/foi/detainees/csrt/Set_15_1318-1362.pdf#20 Summarized transcripts (.pdf)] , from Khan Zaman's "Combatant Status Review Tribunal" - pages 20-35] [http://www.defenselink.mil/pubs/foi/detainees/csrt/ARB_Transcript_Set_6_20255-20496.pdf#207 Summarized transcript (.pdf)] , from Khan Zaman's "Administrative Review Board hearing" - page 207]
*Abib Sarajuddin, a member of the Zadran tribe, was asked by tribal elders to raise troops from his village and four surrounding villages, to fight under Pacha Khan Zadran, to help overthrow the Taliban locally.
*On November 16 2001 American intelligence analysts received a tip that Abib Sarajuddin had hosted a fleeing senior Taliban leader, overnight, and, in retaliation they bombed his house, killing his wife and many other family members.
*In January 2002 American forces finally traveled to Zaku Khel, to check out the tip they received, that triggered the retaliatory strike on Sarajuddin's home.
*One of the allegations against Abib Sarajuddin, and his fellow villagers, was that he received a large welfare payment, to compensate him for the loss of his family members, and his house. American intelligence officers assert that the payment came from Pacha Khan Zadran.
*Abib Sarajuddin, and his fellow villagers were captured almost a year prior to the rocket attack on Firebase Salerno, and a year prior to American forces classifiying Pacha Khan Zadran as a renegade.

References

External links

*cite web|accessdate=2007-03-21|url=http://www.globalsecurity.org/military/facility/fob_salerno.htm
title=Camp Salerno/Forward Operating Base Salerno
publisher=GlobalSecurity.org