Jonathan Keith "Jack" Idema got into Afghanistan in 2001 after an official at the U.S. Embassy in Uzbekistan wrote a letter identifying him as a contractor with the Department of Defense.

Three years later, Idema stands accused of running an illegal jail in what has been termed a freelance search for terrorists. The U.S. government says it did not sponsor or employ him.

A hearing in Idema's case is expected to resume in Kabul on Monday. Idema, Ed Caraballo of New York and Brent Bennett of Fayetteville are accused of kidnapping and torturing Afghan citizens in their makeshift jail. They could face 15 to 20 years in an Afghan prison.

Idema, a former Green Beret from Fayetteville, has said he tortured no one. He maintains he was only trying to elicit information from suspected terrorists using methods he learned in the Special Forces. The American and Afghan governments, he says, knew what he was doing and supported him.

The U.S. government has not explained why Idema had a letter from the U.S. Embassy in Uzbekistan. The letter, dated Nov. 2, 2001, asks Uzbekistan's Ministry of Foreign Affairs for help in issuing visas to Idema, Gary Scurka and Greg Long. It identifies the three men as Defense Department contractors.

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In January 2002, CBS' "60 Minutes II" aired a segment on al-Qaida training tapes. The network said it got the tapes from Idema, who "says he went to Afghanistan as a civilian military adviser to the Northern Alliance and was with them as they pushed toward Kabul." Idema says he found the tapes near Tora Bora while hunting for al-Qaida operatives.

About the same time, Idema started working for Fox News Network as a war analyst.

Sources say he was being sought at that time by his own country. They say the U.S. government put out an order for Idema to be detained on sight.

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Idema made friends in high places. Among them is Ted Kavanau, a founder of the Cable News Network and CNN Headline News. Kavanau said he has been friends with Idema for about 10 years.

Kavanau questions why the media are so quick to paint Idema as a renegade madman instead of trying to prove what he says is fact or fiction.

Among Idema's claims is that he uncovered an al-Qaida plot to set off bombs simultaneously in six American cities.

"If it is true, pin a medal on him," Kavanau said.

Kavanau said he has seen videos of Idema on his latest trip to Afghanistan, including one where he raided a home and found electronic components concealed in bags of rice.

If Idema is lying, Kavanau says, prove it.

Idema's lawyer, John E. Tiffany of Bloomfield, N.J., says he plans to prove that Idema is telling the truth. Tiffany says he has scores of videotapes and documents showing that Idema was supported by the government.