'American Taliban' Father Urges Clemency

[The Straight Story]

'American Taliban' Father Urges Clemency
Jan 19 5:33 PM US/Eastern
Email this story

By MARTHA MENDOZA
AP National Writer

SAN FRANCISCO

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.

http://www.breitbart.com/news/2006/01/19/D8F817IO2.html

[Ron Green]

1. I hate the way the term "American Taliban" was hijacked. It used to refer

to John Ashcroft, remember?