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Iraqi colonel flees Alabama air force base

An Iraqi air force colonel who fled from Maxwell Air Force Base, Ala., where he was in training, is the subject of a wide-reaching manhunt, according to federal officials.

The officer has not been identified, and officials at U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) could not confirm when he first went missing.

Officials at Maxwell referred all questions to ICE.

“ICE has joined the investigation into the whereabouts of an Iraqi military student, and his wife and two young children who disappeared while attending a U.S. Department of Defense training course in Alabama,” Richard Rocha, a spokesman for ICE,” said in a statement. “Now ICE is working with our international and national law enforcement counterparts, and does not suspect foul play in the disappearances. Furthermore, there is no indication that this case is a national security or public safety concern.”

Rocha said officials would not discuss specifics of the ongoing investigation.

The Washington (D.C.) Times reported March 22 that the colonel left a note saying he did not want to return to Iraq. Officials quoted in the Times report said they suspected the man was possibly headed for Mexico.

Air University at Maxwell trains hundreds of Iraqi officers as part of the effort to rebuild the decimated Iraqi air force. The branch was strong under Saddam Hussein’s rule but now consists of fewer than 1,000 airmen.

The Iraqi air force has no attack aircraft, but it does possess numerous transport helicopters and cargo and personnel planes, including C-130s.