Former Taliban commander sentenced to 42 years in US prison for terrorism, hostage-taking
Translated from English, summarized and contextualized by DistantNews.
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- A former Taliban commander, Haji Najibullah, has been sentenced to 42 years in prison in the US for terrorism and hostage-taking charges.
- The charges stem from his leadership of attacks against US and allied forces in Afghanistan between 2007 and 2009, which resulted in the deaths of three US soldiers.
- Najibullah was also convicted for his role in the kidnapping of an American journalist and two Afghan nationals, who were held for seven months.
A former Taliban commander, Haji Najibullah, received a 42-year prison sentence in the United States for his involvement in deadly attacks and hostage-taking. The sentence addresses his actions as a commander in Afghanistan between 2007 and 2009, a period marked by significant violence against US and allied forces.
Those who harm Americans and engage in acts of terrorism will be hunted down and brought to justice, no matter how long it takes.
Najibullah led attacks that killed three US Army servicemembers and an Afghan interpreter in June 2008. He also orchestrated an assault on an Afghan National Police outpost, resulting in the deaths of three officers. His crimes extended to civilian endangerment, including the seven-month hostage ordeal of an American journalist from The New York Times and two Afghan nationals.
As a Taliban commander, Najibullah supported brutal terrorist attacks that killed American servicemembers and orchestrated the savage hostage-taking of an American journalist and Afghan civilians.
In April 2025, Najibullah pleaded guilty to charges including hostage-taking and supporting terrorism that led to death. Prosecutors highlighted his pride in his fighters, who he claimed were "ready to die" for their cause. Acting Attorney-General Todd Blanche vowed that those who harm Americans would be brought to justice, emphasizing that the sentence delivers justice for the victims and their families. FBI Director Kash Patel added that Najibullah would "pay the price" for his actions.
Today’s sentence delivers justice for the victims and their families.
DistantNews Editorial
Originally published by Jerusalem Post in English. Translated, summarized, and contextualized by our editorial team with added local perspective. Read our editorial standards.
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