The poor chap did FAA (read again, FAA, not JAA) licenses in the states and over there the rules are that pretty much any time after PPL is counted as P1, INCLUDING Instrument Rating. In other words, he did what the FAR book said and what his instructors said.
He also stated he has passed the JAA CPL test.
Not knowing the regs for logging flight training and having passed the JAA CPL passed - kind of worrying.