Indians say they were held in Iraq by U.S.
By V.M. Thomas, Associated Press Writer | May 5, 2004

COCHIN, India --Four Indians said Wednesday they were held against their will by U.S. troops in Iraq to do menial work in an Army camp amid insurgent attacks.

The U.S. Embassy said it was investigating the report.

Aliyarkunj Faisal, Abdul Aziz Shahjehan, Haniffa Mansool and Hameed Abdul Hafiz told The Associated Press they signed up in August with a recruiting agency to work for a caterer in Kuwait.

When they reached the Kuwait airport, a U.S. soldier ordered them to board a bus that took them to a base near the northern Iraqi city of Mosul, they said.

"There were some 20 Indians in the bus. Once we knew that we were inside Iraq, we protested," Faisal said. "But the Americans told us that they had paid a Kuwait agency $1,000 for each man and therefore it was a must that we work for them."

Shahjehan said the camp, which he could not name, often was the target of missile attacks by Iraqi fighters.

"Every time the camp was attacked, we took shelter in a bunker. The fear of seeing so many bomb explosions still haunts me," he said, adding that the Army also gave them training on how to remain alert and get into bunkers.

Shahjehan said the four -- all Muslims -- were forced to do menial jobs, including washing clothes.

"When I refused to work and told an officer that I wanted to go back, he beat me up," Shahjehan said.

Faisal said the men were promised $890 a month in Kuwait but instead made $200 from the Army in Iraq.