A former Taliban commander was sentenced to 42 years in federal prison on Tuesday for his role in the 2008 kidnapping of New York Times journalist David Rohde and the deaths of three U.S. soldiers during a rescue attempt.
The sentencing took place in a Manhattan federal court, marking the conclusion of a case that highlighted the dangers faced by journalists in conflict zones.
The defendant, identified as Haji Najibullah, was convicted in 2023 on charges including hostage taking, conspiracy to commit hostage taking, and providing material support to a terrorist organization. Prosecutors presented evidence that Najibullah orchestrated the abduction of Rohde, who was working on a book about the Taliban, and held him captive for seven months in the rugged terrain of Afghanistan and Pakistan.
During the kidnapping, Rohde was moved between safe houses and subjected to harsh conditions. A rescue attempt by U.S.
special forces in 2009 resulted in the deaths of three American soldiers, though Rohde managed to escape shortly after by climbing over a wall at the compound where he was held. The soldiers killed were identified as Sergeant First Class Matthew J.
Kahler, Sergeant First Class Thomas J. Gibbons, and Private First Class Justin A.
Coleman.
Najibullah, who was captured in 2019 and extradited to the United States, maintained his innocence throughout the trial. His defense argued that he was a low-level figure with no control over the kidnapping.
However, the jury rejected that claim, finding him directly responsible for the plot.
U.S. Attorney Damian Williams said in a statement, "This sentence sends a clear message that those who target American citizens and journalists will face justice, no matter how long it takes." The case has been closely watched by press freedom advocates, who see it as a rare instance of accountability for attacks on journalists in war zones.
Rohde, who now works as a reporter for The New York Times, did not comment on the sentencing but has previously spoken about the trauma of his captivity. The families of the fallen soldiers expressed relief at the outcome, though they noted that no sentence could bring back their loved ones.
The 42-year sentence will be served in a federal prison, with no possibility of parole. Najibullah's legal team has indicated they plan to appeal the conviction.