Ex-Gitmo MP: I Was Beaten Posing as Detainee

LEXINGTON, Ky. – A former military police officer said in a television interview broadcast Monday that he was severely beaten while posing as a detainee during a January 2003 training exercise at Guantanamo Bay.

Sean Baker, a former member of the 438th Military Police Company (search), said he played the role of a prisoner and was beaten so badly by four U.S. soldiers that he suffered a traumatic brain injury and seizures.

"I don't want this to happen to anyone else, what I'm living with daily," Baker told WLEX-TV in Lexington.

Kentucky National Guard (search) Capt. David Page, a guard spokesman, would not comment about Baker's specific claims.

"There was a training accident, after which he was medically discharged," Page told The Associated Press.

Page confirmed that Baker was a former member of the 438th Military Police Company, based in Murray, Ky. He said Baker was with the unit when it was stationed at the naval base in Cuba, where the United States is holding detainees from Afghanistan.

Page referred further questions to the U.S. Southern Command (search) in Miami.

Lt. Cmdr. Chris Loundermon at Southern Command confirmed that Baker had a medical discharge from the guard, but had no further comment.

Baker was a member of the Kentucky National Guard from 1989 through 1997 and re-enlisted after the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks.

In the interview, Baker said that as part of the training drill, he was given an orange detainee jumpsuit to wear and turned over to four soldiers. Baker said the soldiers beat and choked him, stopping when they saw he was wearing parts of an Army uniform.

Baker said he has undergone numerous treatments, but still has medical problems.

Attempts by The Associated Press to reach Baker by telephone Monday were not successful.