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Officials doubt story of alleged kidnap



HARVEST, Alabama (CNN) -- Calls made from the satellite telephone of an American after he allegedly was kidnapped in Afghanistan have been traced to Pakistan, a U.S. official told CNN on Tuesday.

That revelation casts some doubt on the story that Amanda Bowers, who is married to Clark Russell Bowers, told the U.S. Department of State and the media.

Amanda Bowers said last week that her husband had called her on January 9, saying he and an interpreter had been kidnapped by a warlord in Afghanistan and were being held for ransom. She said Bowers, 37, had been on a private humanitarian mission.

At the time, Amanda Bowers said she was waiting for a call from her husband detailing how to pay the $25,000 ransom. That call, she said, came in eight days ago.

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U.S. officials are casting doubt on the story of an American who says he was kidnapped in Afghanistan. CNN's Gary Tuchman reports (January 23)

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Then, Bowers' mother Carol announced Friday that her son had been released and would be returning to his Alabama home soon. Carol Bowers said her son was tortured with hot rods that were pressed into his skin, leaving more than 20 holes. She would not say if a ransom was paid, but said, "He has great loyalty to those who helped him."

"I can't wait for Clark to get back and be able to share with you the fantastic experiences he had," the mother said.

Amanda Bowers said her husband called from Pakistan on Friday to say he had arranged for his own transportation to Karachi, Pakistan, after his release.

State Department spokesman Richard Boucher said Tuesday that Bowers met Saturday with State Department officials in Pakistan. Another State Department official told CNN that Bowers would not talk about his alleged kidnapping in Afghanistan.

Bowers' wife, however, told CNN Monday that her husband would speak with the media upon his return to Alabama.

Sources at the Pentagon said Bowers flew from Istanbul, Turkey, to Kabul, Afghanistan, and then called his wife to say he had been kidnapped. A State Department official said this week the department was taking the report "very seriously," but the reports from the family could not be independently confirmed.

-- CNN Correspondent Gary Tuchman contributed to this report



 
 
 
 



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