Clark Bowers has been speaking to conservative Christian groups for years, commanding thousands of dollars in fees. But when he spoke after Pat Robertson at the Hawaii Christian Coalition gathering February 9, he didn't address the one topic everyone wanted to hear: his supposed abduction and torture in Afghanistan. Bowers had claimed he was released in January on a $5,000 ransom, but media reports cast doubts on the claims. They also questioned nearly every line on his résumé. A Boston Globe report said most of the disputed items checked out, though Bowers used some hyperbole. While former Taliban hostages Heather Mercer and Dayna Curry work on their book for Doubleday, Bowers says he's tired of defending himself. He "appears unlikely to provide more details anytime soon," says the Globe.

Related news articles include:

Mother: Afghan kidnappers release son — CNN (Jan. 19, 2002)

Kidnap victim's background examined — Associated Press (Jan. 19, 2002)

Man said to have been kidnapped in Afghanistan expected home soon — ABC (Jan. 19, 2002)

U.S. civilian reported kidnapped in Afghanistan — CNN (Jan. 16, 2002)

An editorial in The Decatur (Alabama) Daily argued that in a nation at war, people are entitled to know the details of what Bowers was doing in Afghanistan. The paper suggested that he could be a CIA operative.