The defendant revealed that his support also included the role as Taliban commander in Wardak’s Afghan province, where combatants under his command “were prepared to perform attacks against US military and their allies using bomb men, automatic weapons and explosive devices.
A former Taliban commander was guilty of providing weapons and other types of support for attacks that killed US military and their role in the 2008 armed hijacking of two journalists.
Speaking through an interpreter, Haji Najibullah was guilty at the Manhattan Federal Court on Friday for providing material support for terrorism and participating in the organization of operations to hostage.
“As a result of the material support I gave to the Talibans, American military was killed,” said Najibullah.
The defendant revealed that his support also included the role as Taliban commander in Wardak’s Afghan province, where combatants under his command “were prepared to make attacks against US military and their allies using bomb men, automatic weapons, makeshift explosive devices and grenades sent by rockets.”
Former New York Times reporter fled after seven months
49 -year -old Najibullah said he also participated in hostage, such as journalist David Rohde “and his companions” so that rescue and release requirements could be made of Taliban prisoners maintained by the US government.
Former New York Times reporter and Afghan journalist Tahir Ludin were kidnapped when they were on their way to an interview with a Taliban leader.
The two men managed to dramatically escape a complex controlled by the Taliban in the tribal areas of Pakistan, more than seven months after the kidnapping, on November 10, 2008. His driver, Asadullah Mangal, was a third victim of kidnapping, having escaped a few weeks after Ludin and Rohde.
Rohde, winner of the Pulitzer Prize and who now works as a senior national security editor at NBC News, participated in the process: “I am pleased that he admitted his fault today and grateful to all US officials who led him to court,” he wrote to The Associated Press in the news agency after the sentence.
“Above all, my heart is with the families of the three American military and the Afghan translator who have been killed,” he added.
Najibullah is expected to be sentenced to life imprisonment
After the confession, Najibullah was taken from the hearing room, handcuffed by US federal agents, and should be sentenced on October 23.
The guidelines of the federal sentence, as recognized in a confession agreement signed by Najibullah and the prosecutors, point to a perpetual arrest sentence.
New York Times spokeswoman Danielle Rhoades Ha expressed gratitude to the US authorities for pursuing Najibullah and enhanced the dangers that journalists face around the world.
“More than 120 journalists were killed in 2024, the largest number ever registered,” he said. And defended:
“Journalists go to dangerous places to find out the facts that citizens need. Governments can and should protect journalists, investigating all attacks on reporters and publicly condemning threats.”
