Bergdahl says Taliban captors tortured him

U.S. Sgt. Bowe Bergdahl has told people treating him at an American military medical facility in Germany that he was tortured and held in a cage by his Taliban captors in Afghanistan after he tried to escape, a senior U.S. official said Sunday.

The official spoke on condition of anonymity because he was not authorized to discuss what Bergdahl has revealed about the conditions of his captivity. The New York Times first reported on the matter.

The U.S. official also told The Associated Press that Bergdahl's parents were being harassed and threatened, including receiving death threats. The source of the threats is not clear, but Bergdahl has faced criticism from members of the military and politicians for allegedly deserting his post and falling into the hands of the Taliban.

The FBI acknowledged the reports in a statement on Sunday.

“We are aware of the threats and are working with our local law enforcement partners to investigate. As always, we take these types of threats seriously," said FBI special agent Jacqueline Maguire. 

Bergdahl, 28, was captured in June 2009 after he disappeared from his infantry unit. The Taliban held him for nearly five years. The official said it was difficult to verify the accounts Bergdahl has given since his release a week ago.

On Friday, Taliban spokesman Zabihullah Mujahid told the AP that Bergdahl was held under "good conditions." The wire service was unable to reach a Taliban spokesmen for comment Sunday.

Military doctors at the Landstuhl Regional Medical Center say that while Bergdahl is physically able to travel, he's not yet emotionally prepared to be reunited with his family, to whom he has not yet spoken.

The Pentagon’s press secretary, Rear Adm. John Kirby, said in a statement: “The Department of Defense does not comment on discussions that Sergeant Bergdahl is having with the professionals who are providing him medical and reintegration care. We will respect that process in all regards.”

It's unclear when Bergdahl may get to go home.

Typically, a returned captive would spend from five days to three weeks in the phase of reintegration in which Bergdahl now finds himself, according to a Pentagon psychologist who is an expert in dealing with military members who have been released from captivity.

Once Bergdahl is considered ready to move onto the next phase of his decompression, he is expected to be flown to an Army medical center in San Antonio, Texas, where it is believed he will be reunited with his family.

On Wednesday, Bergdahl's hometown of Hailey, Idaho, abruptly canceled plans for a welcome home celebration, citing security concerns. And on Saturday the FBI confirmed Bergdahl's family had received death threats that are being investigated by federal, state and local authorities.

Bergdahl was returned to the U.S. military in exchange for the release of five Taliban fighters from the U.S. military prison at Guantánamo Bay, Cuba.

Some of Bergdahl's fellow soldiers maintain that Americans died during efforts to find and save him. Also, there is concern that the high-level Taliban officials will resume activities with the Taliban and threaten members of the U.S. military in Afghanistan.

Administration officials have defended the trade.

"It would have been offensive and incomprehensible to consciously leave an American behind, no matter what," Secretary of State John Kerry said on Sunday. He called fears of the Taliban leaders striking back at the U.S. “a lot of baloney.”

Qatar, a small, gas-rich Gulf state, served as a go-between during the negotiations, and has agreed to ensure the five released prisoners remain there for at least a year.

The Qataris aren't "the only ones keeping an on eye on them," Kerry said in an interview broadcast Sunday on CNN's "State of the Union,” implying that U.S. intelligence services are also monitoring the freed Taliban.

Al Jazeera and wire services