A court in New York has sentenced Haji Najibullah, a former Taliban commander, to 42 years in prison for the kidnapping of American journalist David Rohde and two of his companions.
U.S. federal prosecutors announced on Tuesday, June 9, that Najibullah played a direct role in the 2008 abduction of David Rohde, an American journalist, his Afghan interpreter, and their driver.
According to court documents, the three men were held captive for more than seven months in hideouts located in Afghanistan and Pakistan.
The kidnappers sought ransom payments and the release of several Taliban prisoners in exchange for the hostages’ freedom.
Prosecutors said the hostages were forced to record proof-of-life videos during their captivity. In the recordings, Taliban fighters reportedly threatened them with weapons.
Najibullah served as a Taliban commander in Wardak province beginning in 2007 and, according to U.S. officials, was also involved in ambush attacks against American forces.
At the time of his kidnapping, David Rohde was working for the The New York Times.
Rohde and his interpreter eventually escaped from captivity after seven months.
According to reports, Haji Najibullah was arrested in Ukraine in October 2020 and was later transferred to the United States to stand trial.
