Newsweek reports Spann probed Walker

12/07/2001

By Associated Press

NEW YORK — CIA officer Johnny ``Mike'' Spann reportedly questioned fellow American and alleged Taliban warrior John Walker shortly before the Afghan prisoner uprising in which Spann was killed.

Newsweek magazine said on its Web site Thursday the information came from a videotape of the incident taken by an Afghan cameraman.

Spann, 32, was killed Nov. 25 after he questioned Walker, 20, of northern California, and other enemy captives who were imprisoned in the northern Afghanistan fortress of Kala Jangi. The prisoners were taken as the northern alliance, under cover of punishing U.S. airstrikes, finally overran the city of Kunduz, which had been the last Taliban stronghold in the north of the country.

Newsweek said the videotape showed Spann and another CIA agent, known only as Dave, talking with Walker.

The magazine said the videotape indicated Dave spoke menacingly to Walker while Spann tried to break his resistance by explaining that the terror attacks on the United States Sept. 11 had also taken the lives of many Muslims.

``They (the hijackers) killed other Muslims. There were several hundred other Muslims killed in the bombing. Are you going to talk to us?'' Spann asked.

Walker did not respond.

Shortly after the interrogation, other prisoners emerged from parts the fortress and launched the uprising in which Spann was killed.