Ashcroft Says Walker Waived Right to Attorney

January 16, 2002 09:01 AM ET

By Sue Pleming

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - U.S. Attorney General John Ashcroft on Wednesday rejected criticism from the parents of John Walker Lindh that their son had been denied legal counsel and countered the American Taliban fighter had repeatedly refused access to a lawyer.

In a round of morning television interviews, Ashcroft said Walker had waived his right to an attorney both verbally and in writing during interrogation sessions.

"Both in writing and orally he indicated that he wanted to make statements absent an attorney and that's a right we respect in America," Ashcroft told ABC's "Good Morning America."

"As much as family members may be concerned or want to be involved in cases, the right to an attorney is something that is reserved to an individual who is charged," he added.

On Tuesday, the United States charged Walker with conspiring to kill U.S. nationals in the Afghanistan war and with providing support to Osama bin Laden's al Qaeda network, charges that spared him from facing the death penalty.

Bin Laden and his network have been blamed for the Sept. 11 attacks on America, which killed more than 3,000 people.

LAWYER COMPLAINS OF LACK OF ACCESS

After Walker was charged, a lawyer hired by his family urged the U.S. government to respect his constitutional rights.

"Despite repeated attempts by his family and his counsel to see him, John has not been given access to a lawyer," George Harris said in a statement. "To the best of our knowledge, he has not even been informed that his parents have retained lawyers who are working on his behalf."

A statement from the family also expressed disappointment they had not been able to contact the 20-year-old Californian who converted to Islam at age 16.

Responding to the complaint by Walker's family that several letters they had written were not given to their son, Ashcroft told CNN: "I don't know the extent to which he has received or not received mail."

The charges against Walker do not carry the death penalty, but Ashcroft reiterated that additional charges could be filed that might involve capital punishment.

"If additional evidence is developed other crimes may be charged here," he told ABC.

Asked if there was evidence Walker had actually fired on Americans, Ashcroft said it was clear the Californian knew his actions were against Americans.

"He recited that he had been in al Qaeda training camps, that he had personally met Osama bin Laden who had commended him for being a part of Jihad. He understood what Osama bin Laden had done and what he stood for."

Ashcroft told CBS Walker would "be brought back very soon" to the United States to face the charges.

"We won't be disclosing arrangements for bringing him to the United States, although it will be in the very near future, because of security reasons," he told CNN.