Former Taliban Commander Pleads Guilty To Kidnapping Of Journalist, Killings Of Us Soldiers

A erstwhile Taliban commander has pleaded blameworthy to taking hostages, including an American journalist, and nan deaths of U.S. soldiers, nan Justice Department said Friday. 

Haji Najibullah, 49, pleaded blameworthy to hostage taking and providing worldly support for acts of coercion resulting successful decease successful relationship pinch his domiciled successful nan hostage taking of an American journalist and 2 Afghan citizens successful Afghanistan and Pakistan successful 2008 and 2009, arsenic good arsenic his activity of Taliban fighters who carried retired attacks on U.S. soldiers in Afghanistan, betwixt 2007 and 2009, resulting successful nan deaths of American soldiers. 

TALIBAN FREES AMERICAN HOSTAGE GEORGE GLEZMANN FOLLOWING NEGOTIATIONS WITH US, QATAR

In this courtroom sketch, erstwhile Taliban commandant Haji Najibullah, antecedently accused of kidnapping an American journalist, appears connected charges related to murdering 3 U.S. troops successful Afghanistan successful 2008 during a tribunal proceeding successful New York. (Reuters)

"Najibullah committed his crimes successful Afghanistan complete 15 years ago, and now faces justness successful an American courtroom," U.S. Attorney Jay Clayton said successful a statement. "Today’s blameworthy plea serves arsenic an emphatic reminder that this Office, and our rule enforcement partners, will aggressively prosecute those who harm Americans done acts of terror, nary matter wherever successful nan world they whitethorn be, and nary matter really agelong it whitethorn return to execute justness for their victims."

The charges against Najibullah stem from nan kidnapping of nan journalist and attacks connected a U.S. subject convoy that resulted successful nan deaths of 3 Army soldiers — Sgts. 1st Class Matthew L. Hilton and Joseph A. McKay, and Sgt. Mark Palmateer — and their Afghan expert successful June 2008.

Several different soldiers were injured successful nan attack. 

FAYE HALL, AMERICAN DETAINED BY TALIBAN, HAS BEEN RELEASED

Taliban fighters patrol connected nan roadworthy during a ceremony marking nan 2nd day of nan withdrawal of U.S.-led troops from Afghanistan, successful Kandahar, southbound of Kabul, Afghanistan. (AP Photo/Abdul Khaliq)

He was besides charged pinch an October onslaught that aforesaid twelvemonth successful which a U.S. subject chopper was changeable down. In November of that year, fighters nether Najibullah's bid took hostage an American journalist and 2 Afghan nationals astatine gunpoint successful Afghanistan. 

They were forced to hike to neighboring Pakistan, wherever they were forced to make videos demanding ransom payments and nan merchandise of Taliban terrorists held by nan U.S. government, national prosecutors said. 

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The Taliban commandant was responsible for nan Jaghato territory successful Afghanistan’s Wardak Province, tribunal documents state. He had complete 1,000 troops nether his command, who he had behaviour attacks connected American and NATO troops extracurricular of Kabul.

Najibullah was arrested and extradited from Ukraine successful October 2020, and is now successful national custody successful nan U.S.

He faces a life condemnation successful prison.