Powell reveals met dead CIA man's team in Tashkent


Reuters
December 10

U.S. Secretary of State Colin Powell said a CIA man killed in a prison revolt in Afghanistan and buried near Washington Monday died for a ``noble purpose'' and revealed he met his colleague, who survived the firefight, in Uzbekistan two days ago.

``I think all of us should be proud that there are men like Micheal Spann who are willing to go in harm's way for the nation and to serve the cause of freedom,'' Powell told reporters during a brief visit to Germany.

Johnny Micheal Spann, or ``Mike,'' died after pro-Taliban prisoners seized arms from their Northern Alliance captors on November 25, sparking a bloody revolt.

Another CIA man known only as ``Dave'' escaped the uprising at the fort where Spann, a member of the paramilitary Special Activities Division, was involved in interrogating prisoners.

Spann, the first known U.S. combat death in the war, was buried at Arlington National Cemetery.

``I had occasion to meet his partner, the other man who was with him at that time, and it was a very emotional meeting that we had a few days ago,'' Powell said.

``I was also able to meet with his other teammates and to share with them my expression of grief and condolences for their loss,'' he added.

``And so we should always remember that freedom sometimes requires a supreme sacrifice and I feel for Mr. Spann's family as well -- as the families of the other Americans who have been lost in this conflict -- but that frequently is necessary to achieve a noble purpose.''

Sensitivities about the Central Intelligence Agency 's activities led to the secrecy about the meeting, which was not listed on the daily schedule given to reporters with Powell.

A senior State Department official revealed only that they met in Tashkent, where President Islam Karimov has allowed the United States to base a reported 1,500 soldiers, officially only for search and rescue and humanitarian operations.

The United States has waged a military campaign on Afghanistan since October 7 to destroy Osama bin Laden , his al Qaeda network and their Taliban protectors.

Bin Laden is blamed for the Sept. 11 suicide hijack attacks that killed thousands of people in New York, at the Pentagon near Washington, and in Pennsylvania.

After Spann's death, three military special forces soldiers were killed in Afghanistan by an errant U.S. bomb.