American Taliban' fighter to be released after 17 years

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  • KellyinAvon

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    It sounds like Jihad Johnny is already out per local news this AM. They didn't waste any time showing him the gate. Older story below.

    ALEXANDRIA, Va. – John Walker Lindh, the young Californian who became known as the American Taliban after he was captured by U.S. forces in the invasion of Afghanistan in late 2001, is set to go free after nearly two decades in prison.


    But conditions imposed recently on Lindh's release, slated for Thursday, make clear that authorities remain concerned about the threat he could pose once free.

    Lindh, now 38, converted to Islam as a teenager after seeing the film "Malcolm X" and went overseas to study Arabic and the Quran. In November 2000, he went to Pakistan and from there made his way to Afghanistan. He joined the Taliban and was with them on Sept. 11, 2001, when al-Qaida terrorists attacked the World Trade Center and the Pentagon.


    The U.S. attacked Afghanistan after the country failed to turn over al-Qaida leader Osama bin Laden. Lindh was captured in a battle with Northern Alliance fighters in late 2001. He was present when a group of Taliban prisoners launched an attack that killed Johnny Micheal "Mike" Spann, a CIA officer who had been interrogating Lindh and other Taliban prisoners.

    Television footage of a bearded, wounded Lindh captured among Taliban fighters created an international sensation, and he was brought to the U.S. to face charges of conspiring to kill Spann and providing support to terrorists. Eventually, he struck a plea bargain in which he admitted illegally providing support to the Taliban but denied a role in Spann's death.

    Lindh received a 20-year prison sentence. He served roughly 17 years and five months, including two months when he was in military detention. Federal inmates who exhibit good behavior typically serve 85 percent of their sentence.

    His probation officer asked the court to impose additional restrictions on Lindh while he remains on supervised release for the next three years. Lindh initially opposed but eventually acquiesced to the restrictions, which include monitoring software on his internet devices; requiring that his online communications be conducted in English and that he undergo mental health counseling; and forbidding him from possessing or viewing extremist material, holding a passport of any kind or leaving the U.S.

    Authorities never specified their rationale for seeking such restrictions. A hearing on the issue was canceled after Lindh agreed to them.
    The Bureau of Prisons said Lindh rejected an interview request submitted by The Associated Press, and his lawyer declined to comment. But there have been reports that Lindh's behavior in prison has created cause for concern. Foreign Policy magazine reported in 2017 that an investigation by the National Counterterrorism Center found that Lindh "continued to advocate for global jihad and to write and translate violent extremist texts."

    A former inmate who knew Lindh from the time they spent at the same federal prison said he never heard Lindh espouse support for al-Qaida or indicate a risk for violence, but he found Lindh to be anti-social and awkward around others, with an unyielding, black-and-white view of religion. The inmate spoke to The Associated Press on condition of anonymity because he wanted to avoid further stigmatization from his time in Lindh's prison unit.


    Michael Jensen, a terrorism researcher at the University of Maryland's National Consortium for the Study of Terrorism and Responses to Terrorism, said it's clear the government has concerns about Lindh's mindset.

    "For three years he's going to be watched like a hawk," Jensen said.

    He said Lindh represents an interesting test case, as he is on the leading edge of dozens of inmates who were convicted on terror-related offenses in the aftermath of Sept. 11 and are eligible for release in the next five years. He said there's little research to indicate the efficacy of de-radicalizing inmates with connections to radical Islam, but he said the research shows that recidivism rates for those connected to white supremacy and other forms of extremism are high.


    Lindh has been housed in Terre Haute, Indiana, with other Muslim inmates convicted on terror-related charges. The rationale was to keep those inmates from radicalizing others in the general prison population, Jensen said. Those inside the unit were supposed to be limited in their ability to communicate with each other.

    https://www.foxnews.com/us/american-taliban-fighter-to-be-released-after-17-years
     

    KellyinAvon

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    I hope justice gets served to this terrorist who killed at least 1 american and still wants to kill more. **** him
    I’m sure this is been covered, but it seems strange to me. Why does someone who is waging war against the United States on foreign soil get treated like this is somehow A judicial matter and not something that would come under the UCMJ? This individual was an unlawful enemy combatant.
     

    Spear Dane

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    I’m sure this is been covered, but it seems strange to me. Why does someone who is waging war against the United States on foreign soil get treated like this is somehow A judicial matter and not something that would come under the UCMJ? This individual was an unlawful enemy combatant.

    You state precisely the reason the UCMJ was not applied. He was not a *lawful* combatant.
     

    IndyDave1776

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    You state precisely the reason the UCMJ was not applied. He was not a *lawful* combatant.

    In that case, why was he not left on the side of a road in Afghanistan with a bullet in his head? Under those terms he would not be protected by the provisions of the Geneva and Hague conventions we never signed but voluntarily operate within.
     

    Ark

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    Hard to believe that was actually 17+ years ago.

    Dude pretty much served the sentence he was given, in accordance with the rules. You don't get to just keep him in prison indefinitely "because terrorism". He was and remains a US citizen. If the Bush administration wanted to keep him in prison for life, they probably shouldn't have screwed up the Miranda rights and/or tortured a confession out of him. That's the only reason he was given a plea bargain.
     

    Trigger Time

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    Hard to believe that was actually 17+ years ago.

    Dude pretty much served the sentence he was given, in accordance with the rules. You don't get to just keep him in prison indefinitely "because terrorism". He was and remains a US citizen. If the Bush administration wanted to keep him in prison for life, they probably shouldn't have screwed up the Miranda rights and/or tortured a confession out of him. That's the only reason he was given a plea bargain.

    Well Ark if you're looking for a roommate he probably needs a place to stay unless the Democrats have offered him lodging and an office to run for on their ticket already. He will be seen with democrats shortly you can be sure. He's their kind of animal

    The only reason he even made it to a trial is because of pure professionals. He was captured at the end of a large engagement that took the lives of several GREAT Americans and ally's. He deserved death. He got a slap on the wrist. He is a traitor.
     

    Ark

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    Well Ark if you're looking for a roommate he probably needs a place to stay unless the Democrats have offered him lodging and an office to run for on their ticket already. He will be seen with democrats shortly you can be sure. He's their kind of animal

    The only reason he even made it to a trial is because of pure professionals. He was captured at the end of a large engagement that took the lives of several GREAT Americans and ally's. He deserved death. He got a slap on the wrist. He is a traitor.

    We're supposed to be the ones who conduct ourselves honorably and don't summarily execute POWs on the battlefield. If that's your bag, then ISIS is the place for you, not America. The federal government had their shot to go for the death penalty legally, and they flubbed it. They don't get a do-over, that's unconstitutional.

    And, hey, if he at least cleans up after his cat, he's a better roomie than Assange. :dunno:
     

    spec4

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    It will be interesting to see what this goof does. Movie? Book? Appear on The View, etc. I would not be surprised at all to see him migrate to Dem politics. Meanwhile he enjoys the advantages of being an American citizen.
     

    DoggyDaddy

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    I’m sure this is been covered, but it seems strange to me. Why does someone who is waging war against the United States on foreign soil get treated like this is somehow A judicial matter and not something that would come under the UCMJ? This individual was an unlawful enemy combatant.
    Should have come under the Universal Code of Tall Tree, Short Rope. :xmad:
     

    DoggyDaddy

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    It will be interesting to see what this goof does. Movie? Book? Appear on The View, etc. I would not be surprised at all to see him migrate to Dem politics. Meanwhile he enjoys the advantages of being an American citizen.

    This is another case where I wish that whomever approved the plea deal (up to and including GW Bush) would be held 100% responsible for his actions now that he's been released. If he commits another crime, and is convicted, then the judge, prosecutor and yes, even "W" get the same penalty he does. He has already said that he has no intention of stopping his spread of violent jihad. And yet, they let him out anyway. Un-freaking believable.
     

    Trigger Time

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    We're supposed to be the ones who conduct ourselves honorably and don't summarily execute POWs on the battlefield. If that's your bag, then ISIS is the place for you, not America. The federal government had their shot to go for the death penalty legally, and they flubbed it. They don't get a do-over, that's unconstitutional.

    And, hey, if he at least cleans up after his cat, he's a better roomie than Assange. :dunno:
    I never executed any POW or enemy combatant, or innocent civilians for that matter and served honorably thank you. I never implied we should execute any prisoners. I do think he should have been tried by a tribunal and if found guilty which he would have been, executed but we are a nation ran by impotent wimps so thats not gonna happen unless Trump makes it happen.
    And now under the enemy beligerants act that congress passed and became law under obama, we actualy could try him like that.

    If he continues his jihad i hope i get to meet him again face to face.
     

    JeepHammer

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    A crap ton of people with the education to decide how the law applies in this situation argued both sides in court, and this is the legal system ruling.
    Period.
    They know exactly what they are doing, I'm not going to second guess it.

    We (The US, our military forces) are NOT ISIS or any of the other crazies, we live under the rule of (mostly) fair law,
    And that's one of the reasons ISIS hates us.
    I won't apologize, make exceptions or try to circumvent that either.

    It sounds like he won't be able to pass gas without 14 government agencies analysing it, for at least 3 more years...
    We don't operate on 'Pre-Crime' or what someone "Might" do, so I'm good with that decision also, let him hang himself.

    As a Marine, I do have a knee jerk reaction, I'll keep it to myself...
    I wouldn't want him close to me, but then again, I moved to the woods because I didn't want much of anybody close to me.

    Reasonably sane people do crazy things in the name of religion,
    And when crazy meets religion, it never turns out well.

    As Trigger Time said,
    The purpose of our military IS NOT to murder people.
    Neither is our courts system.
    If you pick up arms against the US, and a sniper puts a bullet through your face or a 500 pound bomb falls on your head,
    YOU picked up the weapon.

    Civilians, prisoners, non-combatants DO NOT get summarily executed.
    That's under the rules of war and under peace time rule of law. Period.
    To suggest a member of the armed forces commit murder just to satisfy your misgivings does the entire military a huge disservice.
    Basically it makes you no different than the people beheading prisoners, burning them alive in cages, etc, exactly the same thing the armed forces fight against...
     
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    IndyDave1776

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    A crap ton of people with the education to decide how the law applies in this situation argued both sides in court, and this is the legal system ruling.
    Period.
    They know exactly what they are doing, I'm not going to second guess it.

    ..

    The same could be said for those running our bankrupt and corrupt government. With experts like that I would feel just as secure taking my chances with ignoramuses making the decisions.
     

    Chelise

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    Is time out early for good behavior a mechanistic thing? By this I mean--if you do the right things, and comply, etc... do they have to let you out? Or did some judge out in Terre Haute make this decision? He technically had three years left to my understanding...
     

    JeepHammer

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    The same could be said for those running our bankrupt and corrupt government. With experts like that I would feel just as secure taking my chances with ignoramuses making the decisions.

    The same can't be said for the courts.
    Courts have the burden of proof, and several layers of checks & reviews.
    You argument/case had better be solid or the appeals process will cook off the politics, money & corruption as you go up the appeals process.

    Besides, your (or mine) opinion means nothing,
    My chosen profession was to be a Marine, secondly was a machinist.
    I have to assume they learned as much about the law in collage and practicing as I did about being a field Marine or being a machinist.
    It's not exactly the local lawyer getting elected circuit Court judges we are talking about here...

    Is time out early for good behavior a mechanistic thing? By this I mean--if you do the right things, and comply, etc... do they have to let you out? Or did some judge out in Terre Haute make this decision? He technically had three years left to my understanding...

    That thought crossed my mind also, but not as a mistake or shortcoming on the part of the legal system...

    He won't be able to burp without a dozen intelligence agencies knowing what he had for dinner,
    And he does know the catch phrases that might get him in contact with ISIS leaders/sympathathizers, both here and over there.

    He might actually lead someone to a spot where a 500 pound bomb will do some good.
    After 17 years will anyone remember or trust him. It's a good bet there isn't anyone alive that remembered him, but he might create chatter that produces Intel...
     
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