James Rosen of Fox News is reporting that Sgt. Bowe Bergdahl converted to Islam during his five years stay with the Taliban-allied Haqqani terrorist network who also openly declared himself a “mujahid,” or warrior for Islam. In what Rosen states are “secret documents prepared on the basis of a purported eyewitness account,” Bergdahl is described as trustworthy enough to be allowed to carry a loaded weapon.
The government has known for years…
As reported, Bergdahl’s relations with the Haqqani evolved over time. During his initial period of captivity in the summer of 2009, he was locked in a cage for attempting to escape. He later evolved to the point where “he became much more of an accepted fellow.”
Fox’s chief source are intelligence reports turned over by Duane R. (“Dewey”) Clarridge, a former senior CIA operations officer and current head of the Eclipse Group, a private counter-intelligence gathering company that’s currently under contract to the US Government. According to Rosen:
[Clarridge’s network furnished SITREPS [situation reports] about Bergdahl to Brigadier General Robert P. Ashley Jr., who in April 2010 was named director of intelligence, at the J-2 level, at CENTCOM. Clarridge said Eclipse SITREP #3023, dated Aug. 23, 2012 — in which a member of the Haqqani network, said to be close to Bergdahl’s captors, reported that the American prisoner had declared himself a ‘mujahid’ — was among the reports provided to Ashley.
The Eclipse Group also generated SITREP #3023 which plainly detailed the soldier’s relationship with the terrorists as of August, 2012:
Conditions for Bergdahl have greatly relaxed since the time of the escape. Bergdahl has converted to Islam and now describes himself as a mujahid. Bergdahl enjoys a modicum of freedom, and engages in target practice with the local mujahedeen, firing AK47s. Bergdahl is even allowed to carry a loaded gun on occasion. Bergdahl plays soccer with his guards and bounds around the pitch like a mad man. He appears to be well and happy, and has a noticeable habit of laughing frequently and saying ‘Salaam’ repeatedly.
Fox also reported earlier that the Pentagon admitted to conducting an inquiry in 2010 that concluded with “incontrovertible” evidence that Bergdahl had willingly abandoned his unit when he disappeared on June 30, 2009. Citing interviews as part of the probe:
Members of his unit portrayed him as a naive, ‘delusional’ person who thought he could help the Afghan people by leaving his Army post.
