'Human Terrain' Murder Suspect Brought to U.S.

By Noah Shachtman November 25, 2008 | 12:50:27 PMCategories: Human Terrain

Don Ayala, the military contractor accused of a revenge killing in Afghanistan, is now back in the United States.

Ayala began working in Afghanistan in late September, as part of an Army Human Terrain Team, which embeds cultural advisors in combat units. Six weeks later, Ayala allegedly shot Abdul Salam in the head, after Salam set one of Ayala's co-workers on fire in an Afghan village. Ayala was immediately taken into custody, and held at a detention facility at Bagram Air Force Base. Last week, Ayala was charged with 2nd degree murder in U.S. District Court in Virginia.

In a November 21st phone call, Ayala agreed to be returned to the United States. On the 23rd, he was "first brought into the... custody of Deputy U.S. Marshals, having flown nonstop from Kuwait to Dulles International Airport," according to court documents. A hearing, scheduled for this afternoon in Alexandria, Virginia, has been postponed.

ALSO:

* Army 'Human Terrain' Contractor Charged with Murder
* Army Social Scientist Set Afire in Afghanistan
* Army Anthropologist's Controversial Culture Clash
* 2nd 'Human Terrain' Social Scientist Slain in 7 Weeks
* 'Human Terrain' Social Scientist Killed in Afghanistan
* Human Terrain's 'Catch-22'
* Gates: Human Terrain Teams Going Through 'Growing Pains'
* In Iraq, Psyops Team Plays on Iran Fears, Soccer Love
* How Technology Almost Lost the War
* Academics Turn on "Human Terrain" Whistleblower
* Army Social Scientists Calm Afghanistan, Make Enemies at Home
* Can Social Science Win the War on Terror?

Don Ayala, the military contractor accused of a revenge killing in Afghanistan, is now back in the United States.

Ayala began working in Afghanistan in late September, as part of an Army Human Terrain Team, which embeds cultural advisors in combat units. Six weeks later, Ayala allegedly shot Abdul Salam in the head, after Salam set one of Ayala's co-workers on fire in an Afghan village. Ayala was immediately taken into custody, and held at a detention facility at Bagram Air Force Base. Last week, Ayala was charged with 2nd degree murder in U.S. District Court in Virginia.

In a November 21st phone call, Ayala agreed to be returned to the United States. On the 23rd, he was "first brought into the... custody of Deputy U.S. Marshals, having flown nonstop from Kuwait to Dulles International Airport," according to court documents. A hearing, scheduled for this afternoon in Alexandria, Virginia, has been postponed.

ALSO:

* Army 'Human Terrain' Contractor Charged with Murder
* Army Social Scientist Set Afire in Afghanistan
* Army Anthropologist's Controversial Culture Clash
* 2nd 'Human Terrain' Social Scientist Slain in 7 Weeks
* 'Human Terrain' Social Scientist Killed in Afghanistan
* Human Terrain's 'Catch-22'
* Gates: Human Terrain Teams Going Through 'Growing Pains'
* In Iraq, Psyops Team Plays on Iran Fears, Soccer Love
* How Technology Almost Lost the War
* Academics Turn on "Human Terrain" Whistleblower
* Army Social Scientists Calm Afghanistan, Make Enemies at Home
* Can Social Science Win the War on Terror?