American Taliban Fighter Being Held in Marine Custody

By DAVID MARTIN
.c The Associated Press

SOUTHERN AFGHANISTAN (Dec. 9) - An American captured while fighting with the Taliban was in good condition Sunday at a U.S. Marine Corps base where he was being held as a ``military detainee,'' a Marine spokesman said.

John Walker, 20, of Fairfax, Calif., surrendered near the northern Afghan city of Mazar-e-Sharif, where he was caught in a prison uprising before U.S. authorities flew him to the Marine base in the south known as Camp Rhino.

Capt. Stewart Upton, a spokesman at the base, said Walker was classified as a military detainee, giving him the same rights as an enemy prisoner of war under the Geneva Conventions.

Upton said Walker was being provided with shelter, food, water and medical treatment, and that the international Red Cross can monitor Walker's treatment. Of Walker's condition, Upton said: ``I know of it as good.''

Walker was being held at an undisclosed location on the base, and journalists were not allowed to meet with him. The Associated Press was allowed to deploy with the troops on the condition that it not reveal troop strengths, mission plans and other secret information.

At the U.S. Central Command in Tampa, Fla., a Pentagon spokesman said it had not yet been decided how Walker's case would be handled. Lawyers for the departments of Defense and Justice are ``working on the way ahead on that,'' Rear Adm. Craig Quigley said.

While held and interrogated by U.S. forces, Walker has provided some useful intelligence information, another U.S. official said on condition of anonymity. ``That has been very helpful,'' Deputy Defense Secretary Paul Wolfowitz said on ABC News.

Pentagon officials said Walker would be handed over to civilian authorities, but the timing of the transfer and exactly where Walker would go were not clear.

In San Francisco, James Brosnahan, a lawyer for Walker's parents, declined comment.

The Justice Department has said Americans who fought for the Taliban or the al-Qaida terrorism network could face treason, murder, conspiracy or other charges. The issue surfaced after the government said three people claiming to be Americans might have been fighting for the Taliban. The two others were later determined not to be American, though they spoke English.

Attorney General John Ashcroft told a Senate committee last week that he would not comment on any legal actions to be taken against Walker. But he warned, ``History has not looked kindly upon those who have forsaken their countries to go and fight against their countries.''

Defense Secretary Donald H. Rumsfeld declined comment last week when asked if he considered Walker a traitor.

Walker is the only person - either Afghan or any other nationality - being held by Americans in the Afghan campaign, though rebel forces have custody of some 5,000 to 6,000 militiamen, a senior U.S. defense official.

Walker's parents have described him as an introvert and pacifist who converted to Islam when he was 16. He studied in Yemen and Pakistan, but his parents lost contact with him about six months ago.

Through their attorney, Frank Lindh and Marilyn Walker said Friday they are ``desperately worried'' about their son.

They also said the government had not given them any word about his condition or whereabouts.

Quoted:
I'm so fucking sick of hearing that this fuckers' parents are so worried. You know, I bet Mike Spann's family was pretty damn worried too.

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he joined the taliban as a fighter from what we know, which doesn't sound so bad to me really; kinda screwed up, but if he wants to 'fight for islam' then all the power to him, as long as he's not fighting americans...which in reality, he wasn't...unless something comes up about something he did at that prison riot in mazar-e-sharif.  

so really..."he went to another country, joined their army and fought for a cause he believed in"....i don't know, point out something i'm not seeing; but please don't flame me!  

Quoted:
Again, why do the Marines still have this clown after at least two and I think maybe three days ?

I can only wonder why he hasn't ben turned over to the civilian authorities.

Quoted:
Mark my word - the United States is going to f@ck up the John Walker case. Justice will NOT be done!

Quoted:
According to my copy of The U.S. Constitution, Article III, Section 3:
"Treason against the United States, shall consist only in levying War against them, or in adhering to their Enemies, giving them Aid and comfort. No person shall be convicted of Treason unless on the Testimony of two Witnesses to the same overt Act, or on Confession in open court."

So, what he did was treason, the problem is going to be proving it according to law.

No_Expert

edited for spelling

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No offense to the Marines, but I think any person of ANY branch of service would know how to treat Mr. Walker.

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As much as I want him dead, I actually think a better punishment is that he NEVER be allowed to return to the United States, under penalty of death.

I don't view him as a threat to this nation, so although I want him dead, I think it would more painful for him to grow up and live with the mistake he made.  Let him live in the mountains and piss in a pot for the rest of his life, he'll realize just what he passed up.