John Walker Lindh

John Phillip Walker Lindh (born February 9, 1981) is an American citizen who was captured in Afghanistan during the 2001 invasion of Afghanistan while fighting for the Taliban. His capture made worldwide headlines, and the media dubbed him the "American Taliban."

Capture and interrogation

Walker was first captured on November 25, 2001, by Afghan Northern Alliance forces, and questioned by CIA agent Mike Spann and another agent at General Dostum's military garrison named Qali Jangi near Mazar-e Sharif. Later that day, the makeshift was the scene of a violent uprising, in which Spann was killed along with hundreds of foreign fighters. Walker took refuge in a basement bunker after taking a bullet in the upper-right thigh, hiding with Saudi, Uzbek and Pakistani jihadis. He was found seven days later on December 2, 2001, when Northern Alliance forces diverted an irrigation stream, flushing out Walker and the other survivors. Walker initially gave his name as "Abdul Hamid" but later gave his real name when interviewed by Robert Young Pelton for CNN.

Related Topics:
November 25 - 2001 - Afghan Northern Alliance - CIA - Mike Spann - Mazar-e Sharif - December 2 - Robert Young Pelton

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John Walker Lindh explained how he had trained in Osama bin Laden's camp and was a member of Al Ansar, the Arabic fighters supported and paid for by bin Laden. Pelton's exclusive interview was later used by the prosecution to write the indictment of Lindh.

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Upon capture, Walker signed confession documents while he was held by the United States Marine Corps on USS Peleliu and informed his interrogators that he was not merely Taliban but al-Qaeda. John Ashcroft, on January 16, 2002, announced that Lindh would be tried in the United States.

Related Topics:
United States Marine Corps - USS ''Peleliu'' - Taliban - Al-Qaeda - John Ashcroft - January 16 - 2002

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His defense attorney claimed to the press that he asked for a lawyer repeatedly before being interviewed but he didn't get one, and that "highly coercive" prison conditions forced Walker to waive his right to remain silent. Although the FBI asked Jesselyn Radack, a Justice Department ethics advisor, whether Walker could be questioned without a lawyer present, her advice that this should not be done was not followed{{an|JesselynRadack}}.

Related Topics:
FBI - Jesselyn Radack - Justice Department

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