U.S. spokesman says decapitated American was never held by U.S. forces

AP | May 12 2004

BAGHDAD, Iraq (AP) - The young American who was shown being decapitated on a videotape posted by an al-Qaida-linked Web site was never under U.S. custody despite claims from his family, coalition spokesman Dan Senor said Wednesday.

Senor told reporters that Berg, 26, from West Chester, Pa., was detained by Iraqi police in Mosul. The Iraqis informed the Americans and the FBI met with Berg three times to determine what he was doing in Iraq.

Senor said that to his knowledge, "he (Berg) was at no time under the jurisdiction or detention of coalition forces."

However, calls by The Associated Press to police in Mosul failed to find anyone who could confirm Berg was held there.

Asked for details about Berg's last weeks in Iraq, Senor replied: "We are obviously trying to piece all this together, and there's a thorough investigation." But he said he was reluctant at this time to release details.

"The U.S. government is committed to a very thorough and robust investigation to get to the bottom of this," Senor said. "As I said, everybody is shocked by the horrific images of this terrorist act."

He said "multiple" U.S. agencies would be involved in the Berg case and that the FBI would probably have overall direction.