Page:ARB Transcript 2196-2293.pdf/59

 came to his own decision that it was his duty as a Muslim to join the jihad in defense of other Muslims, He left Riyadh with his Saudi passport, his Saudi national identification card and 7,000 Saudi Riyals.

Detainee (through translator): This is true.

Board Member: Since the conflict in Afghanistan was Muslims fighting Muslims unlike Chechnya as we just spoke about and you said that you were following no declaration, no specific fatwa, and no direction from anyone to go, how did you decide which side, since it was Muslims against Muslims, to fight on?

Detainee (through translator): The Taliban was the actual government in Afghanistan. There was a unit that came out of the Taliban to fight against the Taliban. The actual Taliban is the unit I belonged to. The Taliban government is the right side to belong to because the other side has come out of the Taliban, which is wrong. I chose to fight with the Taliban.

Board Member: Thank you.

Presiding Officer: You chose to fight with the Taliban because it was the legitimate government of Afghanistan?

Detainee (through detainee): Yes.

Designated Military Officer: (3.a.4) The detainee was aware that the best way into Afghanistan was through Iran. So, he and his friend went to Riyadh which took them through Jordan and on to Damascus, Syria. The detainee paid for his own travel with savings from his job at the Ministry of Islamic Affairs.

Detainee (through translator): Yes.

Presiding Officer: How were you aware of this route to travel to Afghanistan through Tran?

Detainee (through translator): They share the same border. Iran is a Muslim country and there was no trouble speaking to Iranians about getting to Afghanistan.

Presiding Officer: Everything you say is true; however, there are six countries on the border of Afghanistan and some of them are also Muslim countries or have large number of Muslims in them.

Detainee (through translator): That's what happened.

Presiding Officer: Tell me about the exact route that you took to travel to Afghanistan.