I actually filed the bottom story to the National Post, but I don’t think they had room or time to run it. It’s written news style for publishing, but I didn’t bother modifying it for the blog.

I also rode in a Cougar to forward operating base Camp Nathan Smith today to see Canadian police mentor Afghans, as well as Sarposa prison in Kandahar City. Scroll to the bottom for those pictures.

KANDAHAR – The Canadian military command in Afghanistan has certainly learned some lessons from the former controversy surrounding the capturing and holding of detainees. That much is evident from a tour of the holding facility in Kandahar Air Field offered to certain members of the media on Friday.

While the political controversy surrounding detainees may be ongoing in Canada, the logistics have been rigorously reworked by Canada’s Task Force in Kandahar. And that’s a good thing, considering Brigider-General Dean Milner has given every indication that more detainees will be arriving in detention as Canadian Forces conduct clearing operations in Eastern Panjwaii district over the next several months.

When Canadian Forces engaging in “kinetic” operations [firefights with the enemy] outside of the bases are able to capture a suspected insurgent, they bring him to the Canadian detention facility in KAF for processing. This facility is run by Canada’s military police, but they are not responsible for interviewing detainees.

They arrive in a civilian vehicle with opaque windows; not that it matters because the detainees are sensory deprived. That means they come in with ear muffs and goggles on, so that they aren’t able to relay any information about the base if they’re later released.

Detainees are frisked before they enter a room for detention processing and a 3-minute shower. During this time they remove the sensory deprivation gear, and issue them red shirts, blue pants and sandals.

A medical examination follows the shower, which gives the military the opportunity to document any preexisting injuries. This is filmed and passed on to the International Red Cross, which provides detainee monitoring. The entire time this is happening, a Language and Cultural Assistant [LCA] is translating and assessing basic information from the detainee.

Surprisingly, two suspected insurgents were being processed as the media was touring the facility. In order to progress past the medical room, sensory deprivation equipment had to be restored to a prisoner undergoing a medical exam.
Once inside the compound, several men could be seen on prayer mats reading the Koran. Prisoners are issued a prayer mat, beads, and a Koran when they arrive and the sensory deprivation gear is removed.

Cells are spacious — 600 square feet — but can have up to four men per room. The detainees don’t mind this, however, since they dislike social isolation. They are all equipped with a cot, sleeping bag, and a rug. Reading material and playing cards are also provided to help pass the time.

Although ISAF aims for the 96-hour rule — that is, they want prisoners to be handed over to Afghan authorities within 4 days or released — sometimes this is logistically impossible, and Canadians have to hold them longer. Each 24-hour extension requires approval from CEFCOM, the central command.

So how are prisoners treated in the facility? Although they are surrounded by concrete barriers and razor wire with 24-hour video surveillance and a catwalk manned by MP’s, surprisingly well. The detainees receive 3 meals a day, given 5 times a day to pray [6 during Ramadan], 1 shower every evening, and even video conferencing with the Red Cross, who then relay information to their families.

There is also an expansive recreation yard, albeit one that is empty and surrounded by concrete barriers that deny any opportunity of determining the location of detention.

Although nobody could confirm just how many detainees are currently held by Canada, a quick head count showed about 20. The latest declassified information shows Canada had at least 142 detainees in 2008.

Phillip Lupul, political director of the Kandahar Provincial Reconstructon Team [KPRT], said that Canadian Forces now has a special task force [POLAD -- political advisors for detainees] to deal with detainees. There are now three approved facilities for holding detainees in Kandahar, all of which are approved according to the 2007 revamped detainee agreement with the Afghan government.

There is also extensive oversight. Not only does the military have followups on the treatment of prisoners, but they work in tandem with the Red Cross, and the Canadian military police do audits of the facilities every 6 months. This oversight is also available to the Afghan Independent Human Rights Organization.

If detainees are determined not to be a threat to ISAF, they are brought into the transfer and release room. This consists of a small room decorated entirely with Afghan rugs and curtains. An LCA explains why they were detained, why NATO is trying to help Afghans, and then is given new clothes [as well as his old belongings], before being sent in a cab back to his home.

Beyond this, Pashto culture requires that a man returning to his village bring a gift of some kind. So on the advice of ISAF’s LRAs, they give a token sum of money to the detainee to purchase a gift that will allow him to keep his honour when returning.

Though the process is far from perfect — the detention facility seemed close to capacity with 20 detainees, and the 96-hour rule is more a guideline than a law — it certainly appears rigorously accountable and free from the previous concerns of abuse of prisoners.

We were given a tour of Kandahar air field and I did a little posing next to a Griffon.

“2 for hooking”. Canadians continue the air force tradition.

The cougars are specially armoured to better withstand IED’s, which is pretty much the only way that the Taliban can kill Canadian soldiers.

These were Afghan police going through basic training under the mentorship of embedded Canadian police.

Prisoners in Sarposa prison learning trades for use after rehabilitation.