'American Taliban' Father Urges Clemency

[Tiger in Spain 0]

'American Taliban' Father Urges Clemency

By MARTHA MENDOZA

AP National Writer

<snip>

After years of silence, the father of American-born Taliban soldier John Walker Lindh said Thursday he has asked President Bush to grant his son clemency, adding that the then teenager never raised arms against the United States.

"In simple terms, this is the story of a decent and honorable young man embarked on a spiritual quest," said Frank Lindh, swallowing back tears at times during a speech at the Commonwealth Club, a nonprofit organization.

John Walker Lindh, now 24, was captured by American forces on Nov. 21, alongside the Taliban. Frank Lindh said his son thought he had been rescued by U.S. soldiers until he was taken into custody and tortured.

Charged with conspiring to kill Americans and supporting terrorists, the younger Lindh avoided a potential life sentence in 2002 by pleading guilty to lesser charges of supplying services to the Taliban in violation of U.S. economic sanctions and of carrying weapons against U.S. forces.

Last year John Walker Lindh asked President Bush for a reduction in his 20-year sentence, repeating a September 2004 request the government rejected.

<snip>

Lindh said he decided to break his silence because he hoped the story of his boy's journey from bucolic Marin County to harsh Afghanistan battlefields will help gain him a reprieve.

Al Linkati

[abrnfanatc 6]

Was the gun he was holding at the time a part of the "spiritual quest"?

[Tigermike 3,008]

"In simple terms, this is the story of a decent and honorable young man embarked on a spiritual quest,"

Sounds like an Al Quada press release in Al Jezerra, doesn't it.

Timed to coincide with the latest press release from Ossama Ben Laden in which he offers the United States an opportunity to surrender.

[Tiger in Spain 0]

"In simple terms, this is the story of a decent and honorable young man embarked on a spiritual quest,"

Sounds like an Al Quada press release in Al Jezerra, doesn't it.

Timed to coincide with the latest press release from Ossama Ben Laden in which he offers the United States an opportunity to surrender.

212866[/snapback]

Al Jazeera or the DNC....it's all the same!

[Wishbone 0]

This guy will eventually be released but I would think his date was backed up significantly because his dad opened his mouth. You don't beg for clemency when your son was on the side of a guy who killed 3,000 American civilians. His family must be a bunch of self-centered idiots to push something like this.

[Tigermike 3,008]

His family must be a bunch of self-centered idiots to push something like this.

212878[/snapback]

No they are from California. Huuuummmmm, come to think of it, you may have hit the nail on the head.

[abrnfanatc 6]

His family must be a bunch of self-centered idiots to push something like this.

No they are from California.

Calling Captain Obvious...

[Jenny AU-92 0]

Clemency??? CLEMENCY??????????????? Daddy should be thanking his lucky stars that his son was "only" given 20 years in the pen. If the government had not been so benevolent, or if many of us had been given an opportunity to decide his fate, Johnny Taliban would have been stood up against a wall and shot for the treasonous bastage he is.

[DKW 86 7,411]

Here, I just named my softball bat "Clemency."

Does Johnny Walker Taliban want some of it?

JFYI, Anyone remeber why JWT rejected Christianity and took up Islam, and then went to Afghanistan?

He did it because he was repulsed by his Dad being Gay.

http://www.signorile.com/articles/nyp8.html

[SouthLink02 8]

It's the kids father. I don't think we should expect him to say anything else.