NEW YORK — A former Taliban leader confessed in court on Friday to providing weaponry and facilitating attacks that resulted in the deaths of American soldiers, as well as playing a significant part in the 2008 kidnapping of two journalists, including one from The New York Times.
Haji Najibullah, addressing the court through an interpreter in Manhattan, admitted to aiding terrorism and plotting to take hostages.
Appearing before Judge Katherine Polk Failla with a black skull cap atop his shaved head, Najibullah disclosed his involvement with the Taliban from 2007 to 2009, acknowledging that his contributions, including weapons and his personal assistance, were intended for operations against U.S. troops in Afghanistan.
“Due to the support I gave to the Taliban, U.S. soldiers lost their lives,” Najibullah admitted.
His role extended to being a commander in Afghanistan’s Wardak Province, where he facilitated attacks against American forces and their allies through the deployment of suicide bombers, automatic weapons, improvised explosive devices, and rocket-propelled grenades.
Additionally, Najibullah, now 49, confessed to involvement in the abduction of journalist David Rohde and others, during which demands were placed for ransom and the release of detained Taliban members.
“I produced proof-of-life videos with David Rohde and his companions, forcing them to articulate the Taliban’s conditions,” he revealed.
The kidnapping involved Rohde, a former Times journalist, and Afghan journalist Tahir Ludin while they were en route to interview a Taliban official.
The two journalists dramatically fled a Taliban-guarded area within Pakistan’s tribal zones over seven months after their November 10, 2008, capture. Their driver, Asadullah Mangal, who had been the third victim, managed to escape weeks after Ludin and Rohde.
Rohde, who has received a Pulitzer Prize and currently holds a senior editorial position for national security at NBC News, was present during the plea.
Following the admission, Rohde expressed satisfaction with Najibullah’s acknowledgment of guilt and extended his gratitude to U.S. officials for pursuing justice. He emphasized his sympathy for the families of the three American soldiers and the Afghan translator who perished.
Post-plea, Najibullah exited the courtroom in restraints, overseen by U.S. marshals. His sentencing is set for October 23. As stipulated in the plea arrangement with prosecutors, federal sentencing guidelines suggest life imprisonment.
Danielle Rhoades Ha, representing The New York Times, conveyed appreciation towards U.S. authorities for their determination in prosecuting Najibullah and highlighted the ongoing hazards faced by journalists worldwide.
“In 2024, over 120 journalists were killed, marking a record high,” she stated. “Journalists venture into perilous areas to deliver the truths necessary for public knowledge. It is incumbent upon governments to both shield journalists and vocally denounce any acts of violence against them.”