Former Army Sgt. Evan Buetow told CNN's Jake Tapper that intercepted radio and cell phone communications in Afghanistan revealed newly freed Sgt. Bowe Bergdahl sought to talk to the Taliban before he was captured.
Buetow also described how he feared Bergdahl had given the Taliban vital information that allowed them to orchestrate better attacks against U.S. troops. The efficacy of the Taliban after Bergdahl's disappearance was suspicious, Buetow said, although he said there wasn't any conclusive proof that he collaborated with the enemy.
"It's impossible to know for a fact what was going on, and it could just be coincidental," he said. "The fact is we knew from radio interceptions that we have got that he was looking for someone who spoke English so he could talk to the Taliban. When we heard that, it told us, ok, he's actively seeking out the Taliban, so at least we know that. Over the next couple months, all the attacks definitely were far more directed. Before he left, we'd have IEDs go off virtually every day, but they were going off in front of the trucks ... on the side of the road. Following his disappearance, IEDs started going off directly under the trucks. They were getting perfect hits every time."
Within days of his disappearance, says Buetow, teams monitoring radio chatter and cell phone communications intercepted an alarming message: The American is in Yahya Khel (a village two miles away). He's looking for someone who speaks English so he can talk to the Taliban.
"I heard it straight from the interpreter's lips as he heard it over the radio," said Buetow. "There's a lot more to this story than a soldier walking away."
The Army will review the case of Sgt. Bowe Bergdahl "in a comprehensive, coordinated effort," Secretary of the Army John McHugh said Tuesday.
The review will include speaking with Bergdahl "to better learn from him the circumstances of his disappearance and captivity," he said.
The night Bergdahl disappeared, says Buetow, the platoon was at a small outpost, consisting of two bunkers and a perimeter of military trucks. Buetow was in one of the bunkers, and Bergdahl was supposed to be in a tent by one of the trucks.
Tapper asked Buetow whether he agreed with President Obama saying that no matter what the circumstances, it was worth retrieving Bergdahl.
"My goal is to show that Bergdahl is a deserter and he's not a hero and he needs to answer for what he did," he said. "I will say Bergdahl is an American citizen ... It's great that he’s back and we can have that very small victory, if you can even call it a victory. Because I believe what we gave up for that - we gave up a lot for what we got back."