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American Morning

American Taliban Fighter's Father Speaks About the Situation

Aired December 04, 2001 - 07:33   ET

THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.

THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
PAULA ZAHN, CNN ANCHOR: Now that very strange story of that American who was captured for fighting with the Taliban in Afghanistan. Twenty-year-old John Walker is now in custody of U.S. forces. He is being treated for wounds suffered in the bloody prison revolt by his fellow Taliban prisoners. But how did Walker become a Taliban fighter in the first place?

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

JOHN WALKER, TALIBAN FIGHTER: I was a student in Pakistan studying Islam. And I came into contact with many people who were connected with Taliban. I lived in the region in a northwest frontier province. 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 this -- my heart became attached to them.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

ZAHN: What does the future now hold for John Walker?

Joining me now from San Francisco, that is, is Walker's father, Frank Lindh.

Thank you very much for being with us this morning, sir?

FRANK LINDH, FATHER OF JOHN WALKER: Good morning, Paula.

ZAHN: Good morning.

When you hear your son's words on tape -- quote -- "my heart became attached to them," referring to the Taliban, what goes through your mind?

LINDH: A couple of things. I guess one is that he was very idealistic and I guess was taken in by a philosophy that suggested that the Taliban were trying to build some form of ideal Islamic government there in Afghanistan. And in May, I guess, from what we understand, he went to Afghanistan, unbeknownst to his family, to try to help the Taliban to continue to establish this government there.

ZAHN: You say he was taken in. What would have led to his being so malleable at that point? Did he hate America? LINDH: No, Paula, and I really ask you to consider that he went there in May. The United States was not involved in Afghanistan at that time. And I haven't talked to John to get the details here as to what went on in his mind, why he -- why he made the decision he did. But he did not go to Afghanistan at a time when the United States was involved in Afghanistan. He went on his own to a country that we were not at war with. The war came later.

ZAHN: As I understand it, though, the one thing you have been quite honest about, there seemed to be a rift between you and your son about the significance of the attack on the USS Cole in Yemen in October of 2000. You were concerned because many of the sailors killed were about the same age of your son and his response was, and this is what at least has been reported, that the U.S. Cole -- USS Cole should not have been there in the first place and that the attack was justified. Can you clear that up for us this morning?

LINDH: Paula, I don't recall John ever saying the attack was justified. And I don't think it's fair to say we had a rift, but we did have a father-son disagreement. I did not share the same view that John did. But John did express the view at that time, which I guess is common in some countries in the Muslim world, that the United States should not have military in the Persian Gulf area. I disagree with that and I disagreed with John's opinion on that. But it was an opinion difference between a father and a son. I didn't see it as anything more than that.

ZAHN: How shocked were you then when you found out your son was fighting alongside the Taliban?

LINDH: I was completely shocked and distraught that John had gone to Afghanistan without telling us and very distraught that he could very well have perished in the terrible events there at that prison.

ZAHN: I know that you've said it's important for the American audience to understand the context by what you think happened to your son. You said he went to Afghanistan before any sort of war was going on, and yet in an article published in "Newsweek," your son was asked whether he supported the September 11 attacks against the United States and here's what his response was. That requires a pretty long and complicated explanation. I haven't eaten for two or three days and my mind is not really in shape to give you a coherent answer. Do you understand, sir, why many Americans today who are still trying to come to terms with the loss of 3,000 innocent Americans being killed here couldn't possibly understand why your son would pause when asked that question?

LINDH: Paula, we're all feeling that loss and horror of what happened here in the United States on September 11. My family feels that as much as anyone. And it seemed to me that John was asked a question by a reporter on the back of a truck, he had just been pulled out of a -- this prison where he was submerged underwater in a basement, hadn't eaten for days. I just think in the context he clearly wasn't thinking -- he was not thinking clearly. He even said he wasn't thinking clearly. And it's regrettable that he said what he said, but I think it's -- you have to understand the context. This boy had been through a terrible ordeal.

ZAHN: There are a lot of people in America who think your son should be tried as a traitor. What do you think?

LINDH: I don't think my son has done anything wrong, Paula. I think he used bad judgement in going to Afghanistan, but he is not a traitor. He's a good boy. He did not do anything against the United States. He went there to help the Taliban, not a good choice, but he did go to help the Taliban at a time when the United States was not involved. The United States came in later and did get involved supporting the Northern Alliance, and I'm glad -- I'm glad we did. I hope we can get bin Laden and root him out there. But John was there before the United States got involved and he got caught up in something that was, you know, he shouldn't have been caught up in. But he didn't do anything wrong. He didn't go to make war against his own country.

ZAHN: I know you said he made a bad choice. Do you think, there have been suggestions by some members of your family you thought he was brainwashed and that's why he made that choice. What do you think?

LINDH: Paula, I'm really reluctant to speculate. My last contact with John was by e-mail back in, you know, in April and very first part of May and we have no information and no contact whatsoever with John from that day until now. And so I can only speculate and I'm not willing to speculate as to what went on in John's mind, why he made the choice he made and why he went to Afghanistan to help the Taliban.

ZAHN: Well, we appreciate your being with us this morning. I know you had to get up in the middle of the night to join us. Thank you very much for your time.

LINDH: Thank you. Thank you, Paula.

ZAHN: Take care.

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