<

U.S. Charges Taliban Enlistee
Wednesday, January 16, 2002
By Stewart M. Powell
Washington bureau

John Walker Lindh, 20, accused in civilian court of conspiracy to kill U.S. citizens, avoids more serious charge of treason

WASHINGTON -- Albany Times Union
John Walker Lindh, the American seized in an Afghanistan prison uprising, will be tried in a civilian court on conspiracy to kill U.S. citizens.

Attorney General John Ashcroft on Tuesday announced the Bush administration's decision not to pursue treason charges against the 20-year-old Californian that could have brought the death penalty, saying the U.S. Constitution imposed a “high evidentiary burden” on prosecutors to win a full confession in open court or testimony by two eyewitnesses.

Lindh, who could be sentenced to life in prison, will face charges in U.S. District Court in Alexandria, Va., including conspiracy to kill American citizens abroad, providing support to two terrorist organizations and engaging in prohibited transactions with Afghanistan's ousted Taliban regime.

Ashcroft said that Lindh had made statements to FBI agents after waiving his Miranda rights to remain silent and obtain a lawyer. He outlined what he called Lindh's transformation from a quiet and studious Marin County student who converted to Islam and left California four years ago to an alleged warrior for the Taliban and the al-Qaida terror network.
(More: Albany Times Union News Source)
2002 © Albany Times Union.

Dan