AWOL Afghan Soldiers Turn Up on Facebook

They're apparently in Toronto...and fans of hip-hop, Paris Hilton
By Kevin Spak,  Newser Staff
Posted Jun 25, 2010 9:07 AM CDT
AWOL Afghan Soldiers Turn Up on Facebook
This screenshot shows the profile of a person who appears to be Sardar Ahmadi, one of the AWOL Afghan soldiers.   (Facebook)

Remember that report warning that 17 Afghan soldiers had gone missing from a Texas Air Force base? Well, you can find 11 of them in the same place you can find pretty much anyone these days: Facebook. Fox News easily tracked down the deserters, who've done little or nothing to disguise themselves, and are all connected, either as friends or through a mutual friend. But if their profiles are any indication, these guys would be pretty unlikely jihadis.

One, for example, is a fan of both Afghan lawmaker Shukria Barakzai and...Paris Hilton. Another likes hip hop, Family Guy, and SportsCenter. A few, however, are part of the "Afghanistan Mujahideen" group, whose page contains some al-Qaeda videos. ICE officials say only two or three of the Afghans remain at large, and that they're believed to be in Canada. Sure enough, three of the men's profiles list Toronto as their current city. One responded to a message from Fox saying, "I am not missing that is my face book if every body concern about me I have my address they can come to visit me." He then sent the reporter a friend request.
(More Facebook stories.)

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