Cyrus Kar, 44, of Los Feliz, Calif., a U.S. Navy veteran, was in Iraq filming a documentary on Persian history on May 17 when he got into a taxi and was taken into custody by the U.S. military.

He got into the wrong cab.

On that day he was arrested after a search of the cab revealed it was full of washing machine timers, which are used in the construction of improvised explosive devices … and washing machines.

While the military investigation had revealed that the timers belonged to the taxi driver and not to Kar, he is still being held indefinitely and has not been charged. In addition, an FBI investigation has cleared him of wrongdoing.

The ACLU has filed a writ of habeas corpus in an effort to have him freed.

Kar was born in Iran and emigrated to the U.S. at age 9. He served in the U.S. Navy

More from Associated Press and Los Angeles Times.

Thanks to Hit and Run and Irregular Times.