John Walker Lindh

John Walker Lindh (born February 9, 1981, Washington, D.C.) is an American man. He was captured during the United States' invasion of Afghanistan in 2001. Lindh denied being involved in a violent rebellion of Taliban prisoners, during which most of the 300 to 500 prisoners died.[1] Lindh was brought to trial in the federal court of the United States in February 2002. He was given a plea bargain. He pleaded guilty. Lindh was sentenced to twenty years in prison. Lindh was released in May 2019 after being in prison for just over seventeen years.[2] After prison, he was given three years' supervised release.[3]

Lindh and his family moved to San Anselmo, California while he was ten years old. Before being moved to California, he was raised in Silver Spring, Maryland. Lindh was named "John" after the singer John Lennon, the singer who was murdered just over two months before Lindh was born.[4]

At age 20, Lindh decided to travel to Afghanistan to fight for the Afghan Taliban government forces against the Northern Alliance fighters.[5] His parents said he was moved by the stories of atrocities, which were said as being perpetrated by the Northern Alliance army against civilians. He went to Afghanistan in May 2001.[6]

Release

On Thursday, May 23, 2019, Lindh was released from Terre Haute, Indiana federal prison three years early for good behavior. But he was put on some probation requirements for his still supporting the Islamist ideology. Lindh couldn't use Internet or contact any fellow extremists.[7] The probation continues for the last three years of his sentence.[8]

References

  1. ↑ "John Walker Lindh, the American Taliban". National Public Radio. Retrieved July 13, 2021.
  2. ↑ "The 'American Taliban' John Walker Lindh Released from Prison". Associated Press. Retrieved July 13, 2021.
  3. ↑ "Anger as 'American Taliban' Freed". The BBC News. Retrieved July 13, 2021.
  4. ↑ "American Taliban Took the Odd Route". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved July 13, 2021.
  5. ↑ "John Walker Lindh's Parents Discuss Their Son's Story". Democracy Now. Retrieved July 13, 2021.
  6. ↑ "Innocent". Esquire Magazine. Retrieved July 13, 2021.
  7. ↑ "I Wrote John Walker Lindh, and He Wrote Back". The Atlantic. Retrieved July 13, 2021.[permanent dead link]
  8. ↑ "Lindh to Be Released from Prison Next Month". NBC. Retrieved July 13, 2021.