PAN, May 20, 2011

Logar resident dies in detention with foreign troops

Mohammad had died two days after his arrest at the Bagram prison where he was taken by foreign troops

By Abdul Maqsud Azizi

Foreign troops handed over to family the body of a 25-year-old man with his hand cut off six days after he was arrested on the charge of "links" with Taliban militants in central Logar province, officials said on Friday.

Amir Mohammad, the victim, had been arrested by foreign troops during an operation six days ago in Sheikhi village of Charkh district for his alleged ties with the Taliban.

His body was handed over to his family on Thursday night, the provincial council chief, Dr. Abdul Wali Wakeel, told Pajhwok Afghan News. He said Mohammad had been arrested on the charge of having link to the Taliban, but had no link to the movement. His hands were cut off and throat slit when his body was handed over to his family, Wakeel said.

He said the family was reluctant to receive the body, but later they took the body and buried him at a graveyard. Mohammad had died two days after his arrest at the Bagram prison where he was taken by foreign troops. His dead body, with his hands cut and throat slit, was handed over to family four days after his death, the public representative said.

The district development council chief, Mohammad Naeem, said foreign troops had cut off Mohammad's hands during interrogation.

He asked the central government to order an investigation into the death of Mohammad in detention. He feared the incident could spark violent protest demonstrations by residents.

The governor's spokesman, Din Mohammad Darwish, confirmed the hand over of Mohammad's body to his family, but provided to further details.

NATO's International Security Assistance Force (ISAF) media office in Kabul confirmed the death of Mohammad in detention and said he had died of natural death.

Specialist doctors operated upon Mohammad after his death to determine the causes led to his demise, the force said in a statement. The signs on his body were operation wounds, it said.

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