Bill O’Reilly reported today on the case of John Walker Lindh, an American traitor who pleaded guilty 24 years ago, today.
The California soldier pleaded guilty to collaborating with terrorists in Afghanistan. His arrest and trial gained international attention for a man the press dubbed the American Taliban.
Here’s the story of John Walker Lindh:
“He converted to Islam at the age of 16, seeking to study Arabic and Iranian. He moved to Yemen in 1998, later to Pakistan. In May 2001, he crossed into Afghanistan, joined the Taliban, and eventually attended an Al Qaeda training camp.
“Following the September 11th attacks, Walker was captured by the U.S.-backed Northern Alliance in Afghanistan. Originally facing charges of conspiracy to commit murder and providing material support to terrorists, John Walker Lindh reached an agreement with federal prosecutors in 2002.
“He pleaded guilty to two felony counts, supplying services to the Taliban and carrying weapons and explosives in the commission of a felony. In other words, he was a traitor.
“Lindh was sentenced to 20 years in prison. He served 18 years before his release in May 2019. During his probation, Lindh was subjected to aggressive monitoring, including unannounced property searches, mental health counseling, and specialized internet monitoring.
“Today, his case remains a subject of intense political scrutiny. We don’t know where John Walker Lindh is. The government will not tell us, citing security reasons. They fear someone would harm him.
“U.S. lawmakers and security officials raised alarms after public reports surfaced suggesting that Lindh violated parole by maintaining ties with other extremists. He currently lives under supervision, but as I said, we don’t know where.
“And here’s something else you might not know: Lindh isn’t the only American who conspired with terrorists abroad. Since the 9/11 attacks, more than 1,000 U.S. citizens have been arrested for supporting jihadi networks. Two hundred have been convicted.”
