The Northern California man who became known as the "American Taliban" is set to be released Thursday.
Published May 22, 2019 at 3:18 PM | Updated at 8:01 AM PDT on May 23, 2019
WHAT TO KNOW
John Walker Lindh is set to be released Thursday after serving 17 years of a 20-year sentence
The Northern California man became known as the "American Taliban" after his capture by U.S. forces in the 2001 invasion of Afghanistan
During his time behind bars in Indiana, he responded with hand-written letters to questions from an NBC Los Angeles producer
Prison letters from the Northern California man who became known as the "American Taliban" after his capture by U.S. forces in the 2001 invasion of Afghanistan underscore concerns among authorities that he remains a potentially violent extremist, current and former officials told NBC News.
John Walker Lindh
was released Thursdayafter serving 17 years of a 20-year sentence. He is being released early due to good behavior, standard in the federal prison system.
During his time behind bars in Indiana, he responded with hand-written letters to questions from an NBC Los Angeles producer. All correspondence in and out of the prison is subject to inspection.
In the letters, some with introductions on lined paper, Lindh identified himself as Yahya Lindh and said he spends his days in pursuit of Islamic knowledge. He called himself a political prisoner.
"We are in prison due to our beliefs and the practice of our religion, not for committing any crime," he wrote in a March 2014 letter.
He was asked whether the militant group ISIS represented Islam.
"Yes, and they are doing a spectacular job," he wrote in February 2015, going on to say he supports their efforts. "The Islamic State is clearly very sincere and serious about fulfilling the long-neglected religious obligation of establishing a caliphate through armed struggle, which is the only correct method."
"We are in prison due to our beliefs and the practice of our religion, not for committing any crime," he wrote in a March 2014 letter.
He was asked whether the militant group ISIS represented Islam.
"Yes, and they are doing a spectacular job," he wrote in February 2015, going on to say he supports their efforts. "The Islamic State is clearly very sincere and serious about fulfilling the long-neglected religious obligation of establishing a caliphate through armed struggle, which is the only correct method."
Lindh's response was after ISIS beheaded Americans in well-publicized videos, including journalist James Foley in August 2014. Lindh did not respond to follow-up letters about the violence.
His correspondence with journalists and other comments in prison were part of the basis for a 2016 U.S. intelligence document from the National Counter Terrorism Center that said Lindh continued to "advocate for global jihad."
Lindh, who grew up in Marin County in the Bay Area, converted to Islam as a teenager after seeing the movie "Malcolm X." He then studied Arabic and the Quran overseas. In November 2000, he went to Pakistan and Afghanistan, where he joined the Taliban, according to his father.
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