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A erstwhile Taliban commandant was sentenced to 42 years successful situation connected Tuesday (June 9, 2026) for crimes including kidnapping a Pulitzer Prize-winning journalist.
Haji Najibullah's sentencing capped a day-long proceeding successful Manhattan national tribunal that featured a melodramatic fewer moments erstwhile the reporter, David Rohde, faced Najibullah and described however Najibullah took portion successful the abduction of him and 2 different men successful 2008 successful Afghanistan but was present "refusing to instrumentality work arsenic I look astatine him today".
Mr. Rohde, who is MSNOW's national information newsman and antecedently worked for The New York Times and different publications, told Judge Katherine Polk Failla that helium was "surprised and disappointed" that Najibullah was trying to blasted others and circumstances for his relation successful the kidnapping of Mr. Rohde, different writer and a driver.
The men were held for much than 7 months earlier making a melodramatic flight from a Taliban-controlled compound successful Pakistan's tribal areas.
In April 2025, Najibullah pleaded blameworthy to providing worldly enactment for acts of coercion and conspiring to instrumentality hostages.
The bearded Najibullah, 50, who wore a achromatic skull headdress successful tribunal Tuesday (June 9, 2026), admitted that helium provided worldly enactment including weapons to the Taliban from 2007 to 2009, knowing it would beryllium utilized to termination U.S. soldiers successful Afghanistan.
Najibullah apologised to Mr. Rohde and his family, saying "what happened to him was unspeakable and I profoundly regret my relation successful it".
Standing astatine a lectern conscionable feet from Najibullah, Mr. Rohde said it was Najibullah's lies that led him to spell to what helium thought was an interrogation but what turned into an ambush.
"Hostage taking is simply a cruel and cowardly crime. Family members walk weeks and months reasoning they person the powerfulness to prevention their loved one's life," Mr. Rohde said, noting it's "an illusion" due to the fact that families deficiency the leverage and immense sums needed to conscionable ransom demands.
Still, Mr. Rohde said, the symptom helium and those who cognize him person suffered is dwarfed by the deaths of 3 U.S. soldiers who were killed by Najibullah's cohorts successful a abstracted operation.
Three times, helium named the soldiers arsenic helium spoke, becoming affectional astir their deaths, the symptom his household endured and his emotion for journalism.
