Pentagon releases video of US troops interrogating bin Laden's driver

Pentagon video shows the interrogation of Osama bin Laden's driver, Salem Hamdan, in Afghanistan shortly after 9/11.

The Pentagon has released a 10-year-old video showing the interrogation of Osama bin Laden's driver, a Yemeni named Salem Hamdan.  

The video, recorded shortly after his capture in Afghanistanin 2001, shows Hamdan in a sparse room, kneeling on what appears to be a dirt floor, handcuffed with a hood over his head.   An American soldier armed with an automatic weapon removes the hood and an interrogator off camera begins to question Hamdan in Arabic.  The video include chyrons with an English translation of the exchanges.


The interrogator asks Hamdan about weapons found in his car and support for al-Qaida.  Hamdan strenuously denies knowing anything about the weapons or al-Qaida operations.  The interrogation is measured, not overly aggressive, and there are no physical signs that Hamdan had been abused or tortured.  Hamdan appears at ease, almost relaxed.  He's given permission to readjust his sitting position to be more comfortable, and at one point starts interrogating the interrogator. 

 

Hamdan was convicted of providing material support to al-Qaida in 2008, while a charge of conspiring with al-Qaida was dropped.  He was sentenced to 5 ½ years and released shortly thereafter because he had already spent 6 years in custody at the Guantanamo Bay Naval Base detention camp in Cuba.

Related stories:  

Al-Qaida kidnapped Iranian envoy in bid to free bin Laden's kin, colleagues
Bin Laden fretted about al-Qaida affiliates' missteps, letters show
Security-conscious bin Laden's methods of undetected travel revealed
Bin Laden in hiding: Hatching horrific plots despite crippling attacks on al-Qaida

Hamdan returned to Yemen and is currently appealing his conviction on the grounds the charge against him did not constitute a war crime. 

The Pentagon periodically releases transcripts and videos of evidence submitted to military commissions.  

This video was released unannounced on April 12.  Pentagon officials insist the timing of the video release had nothing to do with Saturday's rearraignment of Khalid Sheik Mohammed, alleged mastermind of the Sept. 11 terror attacks, at Guantanamo.

Jim Miklaszewski is NBC News' chief Pentagon correspondent.

More world news from msnbc.com and NBC News:

Discuss this post

they were able to find one video, where people weren't being treated like horrible little animals?

  • 2 votes
Reply#1 - Fri May 4, 2012 8:08 PM EDT

"...able to find one video..."

As the article states--accurately--The Pentagon periodically releases old videos. This one has now been released. Due to the al Qaida and Osama bin Laden relevance, the news industry has published this video.

You can believe whatever you wish.

    #1.1 - Sat May 5, 2012 10:31 AM EDT

    Like the horrible little animals they are. Be nice to a terrorist and they will be nice to you my a$$. Question, interigate or what ever you want to call it and then kill the ba$tards.

      #1.2 - Sat May 5, 2012 10:54 AM EDT
      Reply

      This clearly shows that the search for bin Laden had been in progress for a very long time--the video is TEN years old--how long had the closet muslim been in the White House? If you can't do that math then you are in sad shape!!

      NO B. Hussein did not in any way plan, prepare for or execute the taking out of bin Laden---Yet the idiot is trying to take full credit

      This is what you elected people----underneath the skin of the "first BLACK" president is a complete moron!!!

      • 3 votes
      Reply#2 - Fri May 4, 2012 8:19 PM EDT

      Takes a lot of energy to hate. I feel sorry for your family.

      • 6 votes
      #2.1 - Sat May 5, 2012 1:07 AM EDT

      Another fledgling troll.

      • 1 vote
      #2.2 - Sat May 5, 2012 4:35 AM EDT

      B.S. Obama has done his job far better than anyone in the GOP could have.

      • 1 vote
      #2.3 - Sat May 5, 2012 6:36 AM EDT

      LOL

        #2.4 - Sat May 5, 2012 9:41 AM EDT

        Just in case....... That was compete SARCASM directed at chris735081... again, LOL

        • 1 vote
        #2.5 - Sat May 5, 2012 9:41 AM EDT
        Reply

        Like it or not but Bin Laden was killed under Obama, not under Bush. You call Obama a moron? At least he can read as opposed to governor bush. And at least Obama was elected, as opposed to bush. Obama is smarter, and became a president in a traditional, legal way. Bush was a retard. Bet he could not even located his own state on the map. Bet he wouldn't now what map is if you showed it to him. Commander in Chief my ass. Thank god that Dumbo is gone from the Office.

        • 4 votes
        Reply#3 - Fri May 4, 2012 9:47 PM EDT

        Musafar - Obama just moved the football down the field for the touch down, he did not move it the first 90 yards. It was a win for the Nation. Obama revealed all of our hard interrogation methods to the enemy so how much information do you think we will get the next time? He said the war on radical Islam, terrorists has been won he is a fool. He want to " negotiate" with the Taliban he is a fool and so are you.

        • 2 votes
        #3.1 - Fri May 4, 2012 11:18 PM EDT

        When Obama has done absolutely nothing in 4 years ... it makes sense to keep bringing up Osama over and over again. Jobs number was terrible again ... but who cares .....

        • 1 vote
        #3.2 - Sat May 5, 2012 1:25 AM EDT

        So the ground work for Getting BinLaden was all laid out by the Bush administration, but the economy is all Obamas fault right? Is that how that works? I must have missed Obama announcing the war on radical islam has been won, was he wearing a flight suit and saying "mission accomplished?"

        • 5 votes
        #3.3 - Sat May 5, 2012 1:39 AM EDT

        Nana,

        So this guy has been in custody for ten years and he somehow provided the tip off to OBL's location? Do you really think this guy gave some key information that was at least ten years old that got OBL?

        OBL knew this guy was captured. Does anyone think that he wouldn't disassociate himself with any links to him? Why would OBL leave any trace of a trail intact that had anything to do with this guy? OBL was a lot smarter than that. If there had been some link, they would have got him a long time ago. More likely some newer associate provided the tip. It is even possible that OBL oldest wife ratted him out. This guy was an Al Qaeda operative and he was moving weapons for them. Big deal, it didn't take a genius to figure that out even if he never admits it, tortured or not. This guy doesn't even seem worried because he knows that he has nothing that he will lead to OBL. He knows that with his capture, any trail back to him will be cleaned.

        The guy is at ease because he knows he has nothing to give up. If he held some key info, he would be scared that they would get it from him. He is not some strong brave guy who just believes that he can hold back any important info. Chances are that the papers found in the vehicle yielded more worthwhile clues than what they got from this guy. And remember, when they caught this guy, the OBL trail was probably a lot warmer than ten years later, but it didn't pan out. We know now that OBL made several moves between when they caught this guy and when they caught him. OBL didn't evade capture by being careless. Without a doubt he cleaned up any traceable connections to this guy.

        I don't buy that they found OBL by following up on ten year old clues. If you feel better by giving Bush credit for OBL's capture, that's fine if it makes you happy, but anybody with a thinking mind should realize that it just isn't so. Maybe Obama just got lucky because OBL's wives had a tiff going and the old "rejected" one let something slip or actually turned him in. One thing we do know for sure is that this guy didn't have any communication with OBLfor at least ten years. This video also really tells us nothing about the CIA interrogation techniques. Most likely this was an interrogation conducted by the military just to try to understand if they caught someone noteworthy. What we see seems to be consistent with military protocol.

        • 2 votes
        #3.4 - Sat May 5, 2012 3:43 AM EDT

        There is absolutely nothing in that clip that gives anything away. It's an interrogation. It's not some super secret CIA mind control psi-ops ninja-jedi mind trick.

        Unless, asking direct questions is somehow so devious and genius that nobody has ever thought of it before.

        "I can't believe it, he asked me a direct question and there was nothing I could do! It was like he had mental powers! How could I possibly have defended against it???" /sarcasm

        • 1 vote
        #3.5 - Sat May 5, 2012 6:44 AM EDT

        Yes the Dumbo is out of office, but a BIGGER dumbo is IN office.

        • 1 vote
        #3.6 - Sat May 5, 2012 9:43 AM EDT

        If you dont believe me check out his ears. NO, really check them out. lol

        Who needs air force one with ears like that

          #3.7 - Sat May 5, 2012 9:56 AM EDT
          Reply

          I'd like them to release the waterboarding videos..... oh, that's right, the CIA/DOJ/military destroyed them all, but saved the ones that DON'T have warcrimes depicted on them.

          • 5 votes
          Reply#4 - Fri May 4, 2012 11:13 PM EDT

          your another fool. Water boarding? Do you even know what it is and how it's done or are you just taking Obama and Pelosi's word for it?

          • 1 vote
          #4.1 - Fri May 4, 2012 11:20 PM EDT

          You've would to love to have seen this bad actor waterboarded?

          Sadist Alert Sadist Alert Sadist Alert!

            #4.2 - Sat May 5, 2012 3:51 AM EDT
            Reply

            Boy...... he looks like a real big threat I can not imagine what they did to him after the interveiw. Bet they water boarded him over a hundred time and the gov't nothing out of him. I hope that made inteligence feel real power full(I mean full of dung) Heck we shoot the messanger all the time(right).

              Reply#5 - Sat May 5, 2012 1:50 AM EDT

              My fifteen year old could have done a better job interogating this man.

                Reply#6 - Sat May 5, 2012 2:10 AM EDT

                A 10 year old video released now! Obvious this is just another part of Obamas get re-elected at any cost campaign. This is old news, yet BHO wants to capitalize on it.

                BHO has even went so far in his re-election effort to enlist William Jefferson Clinton in one of his TV advertisements. History is not going to let Obama get away with no mentioning that WJC let Bin Laden get away on 4 different occasions. The one time WJC did do something, he had our military fire cruise missiles at an abandoned Al-Qaeda training site. Nor, can BHO or WJC hide the fact WJC forced Israel to release a prisoner that was later one of the 9-11 hijackers!

                  Reply#7 - Sat May 5, 2012 2:46 AM EDT

                  Bad Acting Alert! They should nominate this video for the worst unconvincing B S Bad Acted video on the face of this planet!

                  Bottom line,Who gives a sh it.Got to do better than that people!

                  Ooops look at the time,I've wasted, Gotta Go!

                    Reply#8 - Sat May 5, 2012 3:49 AM EDT

                    Another propaganda documentary from the obama administration to convince us he is a strong leader. A foolish liberal would believe this. But the fact remains he is a weak and spineless leader. No doubt.

                    • 1 vote
                    Reply#9 - Sat May 5, 2012 5:45 AM EDT

                    What I find odd is the guard is right in the firing line of the camera man. Polish firing squad.

                      Reply#10 - Sat May 5, 2012 6:09 AM EDT

                      For obama to take credit for getting bin ladin is a pile, no singled out person is responsible, it took ten years of data collection which obama definitely had nothing to with. and for any one to think that he should get credit for this needs to get there head out of the sand.

                      • 1 vote
                      Reply#11 - Sat May 5, 2012 8:24 AM EDT

                      I also like the post from people who think they could have done a better job, what a joke. Shows just how ignorant some are regarding the amount of time and resources it takes to get a job done especially with a bunch of bleeding hearts breathing down their necks.

                        Reply#12 - Sat May 5, 2012 8:31 AM EDT

                        I guess we can assume the Pentagon would not relaease anything self incriminating.

                          Reply#13 - Sat May 5, 2012 9:56 AM EDT

                          No matter how much I hate Al-Quida I don't understand why this guy had been "labeled" and tried in court. Last time I checked Afganistan does not have employment opportunities in Walmart, Target or JC Penny. He got family to feed and like it or not Al-Quida provided his bread. What alternatives did he have ?

                            Reply#14 - Sat May 5, 2012 10:01 AM EDT

                            Wow, those who flunked reality 101 are out in force expressing their great hatred for everyone.

                            Unshakable dedication to promoting hatred is a strange way to live life.

                              Reply#15 - Sat May 5, 2012 10:34 AM EDT

                              THIS MESSAGE IS FROM daffa108@gmail.com

                              The Osama Bin Laden raid as described by US government can be fraud on people of USA. There is a possibility US government paid US$ 10 million for the dead body of Osama Bin Laden and built up the story which is full of holes.

                              1. USA is a country many in the world want to migrate including the blind Chinese dissident. But the educated doctor did not board the helicopters along with the navy seals to escape Pakistan. No sane man will opt to remain in Pakistan after helping to kill Osama Bin Laden. O one has sought asylum in USA.
                              2. The few hours old dead body of Osama will not ooze blood when shot. That is why no dead body photo is released.
                              3. What happened to the other dead bodies.
                              4. Why the kids and ladies did not rush out for help immediately after navy seals left the house.
                              5. Obama can watch with muted video, but why the audio recordings of Navy seals not released. Did the navy seals go on a mission with audio disenabled?
                              6. Did the pak military which milked US of billion did not want to miss the US$ 10 million and co operated for Osama body to be air lifted from Pak air base.
                              7. Why did the evidence is completely destroyed now.
                              8. How come an experienced helicopter pilot who flew the helicopter through the ravines of Hindu Kush Mountains crashed the helicopter in a flat area? What was the intelligence report on logistics?

                              The people of the world need an explanation more so USA citizens. Join us in demanding the facts be made public our questions answered before the presidential elections.

                                Reply#16 - Sat May 5, 2012 12:31 PM EDT

                                Does one need a license to be a camel driver?

                                  Reply#17 - Mon May 7, 2012 10:28 AM EDT
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