LBN Berg thread developing: BERG MET WITH SHADY IRAQI

[Beam Me Up]

Worth a peek:

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=102x560487

[goodhue]

1. indeed

Establishes Berg spent an hour climbing tall buildings in Abu Ghraib

http://www.philly.com/mld/dailynews/news/local/8684646.htm?1c

Berg's first efforts to win radio-tower repair work were unsuccessful, and he was robbed on the streets of Baghdad.

"I was always pressuring him to keep a low profile, but he ignored all my caution and advice," Aziz said. "Berg kept a high profile, wandering around late at night or took public transport. Sometimes he got upset, looked at me in such a way, or said, 'You're not my dad' or 'I'm an adult, I can make my own decision." "

Aziz said that Berg left his equipment with him during a short trip back to the U.S. When he came back, the two spent an hour climbing tall buildings at Abu Ghraib, site of the infamous prison. Aziz said they re-recorded measurements that were in his stolen notebook.

The next day, Aziz said, Berg called to say that he was going to the northern city of Mosul, where the brother of Berg's uncle lives. "He invited me to go with him, but I declined because it was dangerous," said Aziz.

[trumad]

2. Wait a minute... Berg's Uncle is an Iraqi?

It sure appears that way.

[goodhue]

3. Bergs relatives in Iraq are old news!

The facts that (1) Berg's aunt had married an Iraqi whose brother lives in Mosul (2) Berg visited him in Mosul where he helped him with his e-mail accout were reported last Wednesday.

See, e.g.,
http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_topic&forum=104&topic_id=1577936#1587781


http://www.boston.com/dailynews/133/world/Questions_surround_young_Ameri:.shtml

* * *

Berg was inspecting communications facilities, some of which were destroyed in the war or by looters.

During his time in Iraq, he struggled with the Arabic language and worked at night on a tower in Abu Ghraib, a site of repeated attacks on U.S. convoys and the location of the notorious prison where U.S. soldiers abused Iraqi inmates.

His father, Michael Berg, told the AP that Michael's sister, now dead, married an Iraqi man named Mudafer, who became close to Nicholas. In one of the e-mails, Nicholas Berg describes going to the northern city of Mosul, where he introduced himself to Mudafer's brother, identified as Moffak Mustaffa.

''We got along splendidly,'' Berg wrote. ''We spent a few hours and I helped him establish an e-mail account.''

* * *