Once jailed, Muslim Chaplain honorably discharged

1/8/2005 7:11:00 AM GMT

Source: AP

Muslim Army chaplain, Capt. James Yee, once accused by the government of spying, has received an honorable discharge.

Complaining that officials didn’t apologise to him for being accused and jailed for nearly three months without no valid reason, James Yee resigned in August, although the Army cleared him of spying charges.

Yee’s discharge was effective at midnight Friday, his attorney, Eugene R. Fidell said.

"As a West Point graduate, he leaves the Army with great sadness," Fidell said. "The fact that he was imprisoned for a prolonged period for no valid reason remains indefensible."

After the government cleared him of charges, Yee returned in April to his home base of Fort Lewis, and resumed his duties as a chaplain.

However, an official announcement of Yee's discharge is not expected.

"As a matter of practice, the Army doesn't publicly announce administrative actions such as officer resignations or soldiers leaving the Army," said Lt. Col. Pamela Hart, an Army spokeswoman at the Pentagon.

Yee was imprisoned after the military accused him of having links to an espionage ring at the prison in Guantanamo Bay, Cuba, where the U.S. holds “terror” suspects.

In 2003, Yee was charged with mishandling classified material, failing to obey an order, making a false official statement, adultery and conduct unbecoming an officer, all dismissed in March 2004.

In August, Yee submitted his resignation, saying that officials never apologized to him for being jailed for no valid reason.

Now, Yee is at his house in Olympia, south of the Army base, with his wife and daughter, but her refuses interviews, according to his attorney.

Fidell said that Yee looks forward "in due course to expressing his views about his experience."

Yee is planning to finish his master's degree in international relations at Troy State University.