John Philip Walker Lindh, popularly known by the name John Walker Lindh is an American citizen who was captured as an enemy combatant during the US invasion of Afghanistan in November 2001. He was captured and detained at Qala-i-Jangi fortress and used as a prison. He took part in a violent uprising of the Taliban prisoners, the Battle of Qala-i-Jangi. 300-500 prisoners were killed along with CIA officer Johnny "Mike" Spann. Lindh was brought to trial in the United States federal court in February 2002. He pleaded guilty to two charges according to his plea deal. He was sentenced to 20 years in prison. He was released on supervision on 23 May 2019. He is also known by other names, Sulayman al-Faris, and Abu Sulayman al-Irlandi. 

What is John Walker Lindh Famous For?

-  Charged with two counts, supplying services to the Taliban, and carrying an explosive during the commission of a felony and faced 20-years sentence.

Source: @mercurynews.com

Where was John Walker Lindh Born?

John Walker Lindh was born on 9 February 1981. His birth name is John Philip Walker Lindh. His birth place is in Washington, D.C. in the United States. He was born to a father, Frank R. Lindh, and a mother, Marilyn Walker. He has 2 siblings. He was named "John" after John Lennon. He was baptized a Catholic. He grew up in Silver Spring, Maryland. He holds American nationality. He also has Irish citizenship through his paternal grandmother. 

As a child, he suffered from an intestinal disorder. His health improved at the age of 14. 

He attended Redwood High School and Tamiscal High School. He studied world culture including Sunni Islam and the Middle East at Tamiscal. He dropped out of high school. He eventually earned an equivalent of a high school diploma by passing the California High School Proficiency Exam.    

His parents divorced in 1999. Spike Lee's film Malcolm X impressed him deeply and sparked his interest in Islam. He formally converted to Islam in 1997. He was 16 at the time. He traveled to Yemen in 1998. He stayed there for about 10 months and learned Arabic. After Yemen, he returned to the United States. He returned to Yemen in 2000. He then went to Pakistan to study at a madrassa. 

He traveled to Afghanistan to fight for the Afghan Taliban government forces against Northern Alliance fighters in May 2001. 

Capture

He was captured by Afghan Northern Alliance forces after his foreign fighters unit surrendered at Kunduz after retreating from Takar in November 2001. He was scheduled to be questioned by the CIA officers at General Dostum's military garrison, Qala-i-Jangi. While he was interviewed by the CIA, he said he was Irish and did not reveal that he was American. The violent Taliban uprising known as the Battle of Qala-i-Jangi broke, where CIA officer Spann and hundreds of foreign fighters were killed. Only 86 prisoners survived the Battle of Qala-i-Jangi. Lindh was shot in the right upper thigh. He was found refuge in a basement, with a group of Arab, Uzbek, and Pakistani detainees. 

The Northern Alliance recaptured him. 

He was taken to Camp Rhino on 7 December 2001 after recapture. The bullet was still within his thigh at the time. As a potentially dangerous detainee associated with a terrorist organization, he was stripped and restrained on a stretcher, blindfolded and placed in a metal shipping container. He was given oxycodone/paracetamol for pain and diazepam. 

FBI interviewed him on 8 and 9 December 2001. He was transferred to USS Peleliu on 14 December 2001. His wound was operated there. He was then transferred to the USS Bataan on 31 December 2001 and flown back to the United States on 22 January 2002. 

Former President George H.W. Bush referred to Lindh as "some misguided Marin County hot-tubber" in 2002. 

Trial 

A federal grand jury indicted him on ten charges on 5 February. 

Conspiracy to murder U.S. citizens or U.S. nationals

Two counts of providing material support and resources to terrorist organizations

One count of supplying services to the Taliban

Conspiracy to contribute services to Al Qaeda

Contributing services to Al Qaeda

Conspiracy to supply services to the Taliban

Using and carrying firearms and destructive devices during crimes of violence

Body  features of John Walker Lindh

body features is not Known will update soon.

Sentencing and Release

He pleaded not guilty to all 10 charges on 13 February 2002. He was offered a plea deal, where he could plead guilty to two charges, supplying services to the Taliban, and carrying an explosive during the commission of a felony and face 20-years sentence, whereas other charges against him would be dropped. 

He accepted the offer and pleaded guilty to the two charges. He was sentenced to 20 years in federal prison on 4 October 2002. 

He was sent to a high-security facility, U.S. Penitentiary, Victorville in January 2003. He was held in Federal Supermax ADX Florence in Florence, Colorado for a short time. He is currently serving his sentence as prisoner 45426-083. 

President Bush denied the petition for clemency by the Lindh family in January 2009.

He was released from the Terre Haute, Indiana federal prison on 23 May 2019. He was released from the prison prior to the end of his 20-year sentence for good behavior. He was placed on probation for the remaining three years of his sentence.