Taliban Commander Pleads Guilty to 2008 Abduction of U.S. Journalist

April 29, 2025 – USA – 

In a long-awaited legal development, former Taliban commander Haji Najibullah has pleaded guilty in a U.S. federal court to orchestrating the 2008 kidnapping of American journalist David Rohde and two Afghan colleagues. Rohde, a reporter for The New York Times at the time, was abducted in Logar Province, Afghanistan, while researching Taliban operations. He was held for over seven months before escaping captivity in Pakistan in June 2009.

Najibullah, 49, was extradited to the United States from Ukraine in 2020 and charged with multiple terrorism-related offenses. His guilty plea, entered in April 2025, covers charges of hostage-taking, conspiracy to commit hostage-taking, and providing material support to a terrorist organization resulting in death. He also admitted to directing Taliban fighters in attacks against U.S. and Afghan military forces, including a 2008 assault that killed three American soldiers and their interpreter.

Court documents reveal that Najibullah’s criminal activities were not limited to the kidnapping. He allegedly organized and led several armed attacks on coalition troops and played a leadership role in the Taliban’s regional operations during a particularly violent period of the war. Prosecutors said his actions showed “a calculated and long-term commitment to terrorism and brutality.”

David Rohde’s ordeal became symbolic of the dangers faced by journalists covering war zones. Though he later escaped, the kidnapping highlighted the growing risk to media workers in Afghanistan and prompted greater caution among international news organizations operating in conflict regions.

Najibullah’s sentencing is scheduled for October 2025. He faces a maximum penalty of life imprisonment. U.S. officials say the case sends a message that crimes against journalists will not be forgotten, no matter how much time has passed.

The case also reflects the international scope of justice. Najibullah’s capture abroad and subsequent prosecution in the U.S. demonstrate ongoing cooperation in global efforts to combat terrorism and safeguard journalists operating in dangerous environments. His conviction adds to a growing list of high-profile accountability cases involving attacks on the press.

Reference –

https://www.justice.gov/usao-sdny/pr/afghan-national-arrested-2008-abduction-american-journalist

https://iol.co.za/news/world/2002-01-31-us-journo-being-held-hostage-at-gunpoint/