'Freelance' American torturers jailed

Three Americans accused of torturing Afghans in a private jail were jailed for up to 10 years today after a trial denounced by the defence as failing to meet basic international standards of fairness.

Two of the men – accused ringleader Jonathan Idema and his right-hand man, Brent Bennett – were given 10-year sentences. The third, New York journalist Edward Caraballo, was jailed for eight years. Four Afghan accomplices were also jailed.