Taliban Leader Bribes Himself Free For Third Time

By Cernig

Just...wow.

A Taleban commander in Afghanistan responsible for leading attacks on British troops says he has been freed from prison after paying a bribe.

Mullah Sorkh Naqaibullah told the BBC he paid $15,000 (£7,500) to the Afghan authorities to win his freedom.

It was the third time that the leader, known as the "Red Mullah", had been captured and released, he said.

Mullah Naqaibullah operates in Helmand province, where there is a large concentration of British troops.

He told the BBC he had been released from custody for the third time in three years after paying a bribe to an Afghan National Directorate of Security official.
...An NDS spokesman refused to comment on his allegations, saying he could not confirm whether the reports were right or wrong.

But another NDS source confirmed that Mullah Naqaibullah had been released, and that an investigation had begun to track down those responsible.

A Taleban spokesman said Mullah Naqaibullah had returned to Helmand.

I mean, WTF?

Pakistan has a catch-and-release policy for Taliban bigwigs too. What kind of crappy War on Some Terror is being run here if that's what our ostensible allies are up to? No, don't answer that - a really crappy one.