Context of 'December 2, 2001: ’American Taliban’ John Walker Lindh Appears on CNN'

John Walker Lindh appears on CNN television, giving the impression of an American siding with the enemy. He speaks with respect for the Taliban. “I lived in a region in the northwestern province,” he says. “The people there in general have a great love for the Taliban, so I started to read some of the literature of the scholars and the history of the movement. And my heart became attached to them. I wanted to help them one way or another.” Lindh says he belonged to a separate branch of the Taliban consisting only of non-Afghans, called Ansar. Only the Arab part of Ansar was funded by Osama bin Laden, he says. [CNN, 7/4/2002] At the time, Lindh is being held by the US military in a hospital in Afghanistan. He is severely injured and possibly delirious (see December 2, 2001).

According to government papers, John Walker Lindh is transferred (see December 22, 2001) from the USS Peleliu to the USS Bataan. [United States of America v. John Walker Lindh, 6/13/2002 ]