Lindh Should Be Pardoned and Freed

Re “Prisoner’s Release Spurs Lindh to Ask for Clemency,” Sept. 29: Immediately after 9/11, Americans were in a hysterical and vengeful state. Someone had to be blamed, and John Walker Lindh was an easy target, as he was portrayed as a supporter of terrorism and Al Qaeda. The political climate at the time would not have afforded him a fair trial, so he was advised to plead guilty to lesser charges and be sentenced to 20 years in federal prison.

The reality is this was a very young man in a misguided personal journey who had, before 9/11, joined the Taliban to fight for an idealized Islamic state. We were not at war with the Taliban at that time. He never fought against Americans. He was not a member of Al Qaeda. He had nothing to do with 9/11 or any other terrorist attack. He has cooperated with investigators. Nearly all of the hard-core members of the Taliban were granted amnesty by the Afghan authorities, but Lindh was sentenced to an absurd amount of time.

Justice is not being served, and he needs to be pardoned and released.

Mark Johnson

Vista