Lawyers: Lindh Pleaded to U.S. Troops (WIMP ALERT!)

AP via Excite News ^ | May 24, 2002 | LARRY MARGASAK

[LurkedLongEnough]

ALEXANDRIA, Va. (AP) - As U.S. troops transferred him to a metal prison container at a primitive base in Afghanistan, captured Taliban soldier John Walker Lindh pleaded, "Please don't kill me," a defense motion says.

Lindh was told by a Marine to shut up, a response delivered with an expletive, according to the motion filed Thursday.

The defense motion was based on information provided to the government by military guards, and then turned over to the defense under a court order.

The defense team wants to subpoena the Marine guard who heard Lindh's comment, along with other U.S. military and civilian personnel who were in contact with him in Afghanistan and aboard Navy ships.

Their aim is to find testimony and photographs that would demonstrate, at a June 17 hearing, that Lindh did not kill Americans and that he was questioned while imprisoned under inhumane conditions.

The lawyers contend Lindh was bound in the container, sometimes naked in freezing weather, at the time he was questioned late last year. The government says Lindh waived his right to remain silent and have an attorney present.

A Marine identified as USMC No. 11 "was present at Camp Rhino (in Afghanistan) at a critical time," the motion said. "He observed Mr. Lindh's conditions of incarceration and can testify as to his state of mind just prior to interrogation."

For example, the motion said, USMC No. 11 "reports that during the transport to the metal container at Camp Rhino, Lindh kept saying, 'Please don't kill me.'"

Lindh was interrogated at the camp and made statements the government is likely to use at trial. Jury selection is scheduled for Aug. 26.

A government criminal complaint filed in January quoted Lindh as saying he learned in June 2001, while a Taliban military trainee, that alleged terror mastermind Osama bin Laden had sent people to the United States for suicide operations.

The complaint also said Lindh and four other trainees met for about five minutes with bin Laden, who thanked them for participating in his holy war.

Lindh, 21, who grew up in Marin County, Calif., is charged with conspiring to murder U.S. nationals; providing support and services to foreign terrorist organizations, including the bin Laden's al-Qaida terror network; and using firearms and destructive devices during crimes of violence.

Three of the 10 charges carry maximum life sentences. The other seven have prison terms of up to 90 years.

[LurkedLongEnough]

"Please don't kill me"

Can you imagine the self-control required of our Marines with this guy?

[SMEDLEYBUTLER]

Lindh was told by a Marine to shut up, a response delivered with an expletive, according to the motion filed Thursday.

That would have been "SHUT THE F*** UP!"

[StAthanasiustheGreat]

The Defense lawyer is stupid if he wants this Marine to testify. Does he really want the Marine to state his opinion of Johnny Bin Walker. It doesn't seem very smart legally, to call as a witness for your case, someone who is hostile to your case and who probably has an incredibly bad (and justified) opinion of this Junior Benedict Arnold.

[AZConcervative]

Put a bullet in this traitors head and move on...

[Paul Atreides]

Oh boo hoo! Someone talked mean to the widdle tewwowist.

Assuming I believe this story, I just wonder what his terrorist buddies would think of him begging for his life while their comrades commit suicide. He should be thankful he wasn't shot on the spot.

[clintonh8r]

I can't understand why he passed up a chance to become a martyr.

[Jeff Chandler]

In today's upside-down world Walker will probably walk while the Marine gets busted for cursing.

[Eric in the Ozarks]

He should get a medal.

[dighton]

Tsk, tsk. The polite way of saying it is "Shut the f*** up, if you please."

[crystalk]

Some Muslim he is, he should have been pleading for martyrdom and his 72 virgins, not pleading to infidels to spare his life. Obviously, he needs to be sent back to the hate madrassas, they didn't convert him all the way yet.

[Mr. Lucky]

Oh, goodness gracious sakes! A Marine under combat arms said a swear word. Doesn't this somehow violate Mr. Lindh's constitutional right to be a scumbag, traitor coward?

[Paradox]

Those guys have alot of self control. The least damage I would have done to the guy, would be to have p*ssed on him. Then maybe have huge plateful of bacon, eat it, and smear the "processed residue" on him. Just for starters.

[gitmo]

Two things in this article don't ring true:

(1) I cannot imagine a US Marine in battlefield conditions uterring an expletive.

(2)I can't imagine a traitor taking up arms to kill fellow Americans would be concerned someone might actually kill him.

/sarcasm off>

[LarryLied]

Where are the loving parents? Haven't heard from them in a while.

[TADSLOS]

"Please don't kill me,"

Something that the Marines in Beirut, U.S. Navy Petty Officer Stedham, Air Force airmen in the Khobar Towers, sailors on the USS Cole, and his CIA interrogators during the prison riot never had a chance to say.

My best regards to the Marine guards who used incredible restraint and professionalism in handling this "waste". I would have probably lost it and killed him with my bare hands, given the chance.

[joesnuffy]

Well he is lucky they showed him restraint...
had he had an AK on a wounded Marine what would he have done to please his islamic handlers?...
He needs to vanish without a trace

[ZULU]

The biggest mistake made in that operation was to bring back this traitor alive. As soon as he was recognized as an American, they should have blown him away and dumped the body - just another unidentified corpse, among thousands, in the Islamic hell that is Afghanistan.

[Paul Atreides]

Just wait until Hollywood gets hold of this story; by the time they are finished, he will be a candidate for sainthood.

[Paul Atreides]

Didn't we have the likes of Helen Thomas telling us that Jihad Johnny was over there because of his strong convictions? Seems like he is pretty wimpy when it comes time to stand up and be heard when he doesn't have a bunch of terrorist friends surrounding him.

[Howlin]

I guess somebody forgot to tell Johnny that war is hell.