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CNN Sunday Morning

John Walker to be Turned Over to Civilian Authorities

Aired December 09, 2001 - 09:06   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.
JEANNE MESERVE, CNN ANCHOR: The Pentagon says John Walker, the American who fought with the Taliban, will be handed over to civilian authorities as soon as possible. Right now, Walker's being held at Camp Rhino, the U.S. Marine Base in Afghanistan.

Reporter David Wright has more.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

DAVID WRIGHT, POOL REPORTER: Here at Camp Rhino, the big news today: that there's a prisoner on the compound.

John Walker Lindh, the American Taliban, a man who left home six months ago to fight in Afghanistan for the Taliban and was captured near the city of Mazar-e Sharif and was one of 86 survivors of that brutal four-day battle in a prison held by the Northern Alliance.

Lindh or Walker Lindh is being held here. He is technically being classified as a battlefield detainee. That's a bit of a murky classification. Officials here admit they're not sure what to call him. He's being treated, however, with all the rights and privileges afforded under the Geneva Convention to enemy prisoners of war. That means he gets medical care, he gets food and he gets security here on the compound.

They say in part, they are holding him for his own protection. But they're also waiting to hear word from the Pentagon as to what his fate may be -- whether he will be sent back to the United States and tried in civilian courts, whether he might be tried under a military tribunal. And the crimes he could be charged with are quite serious, ranging from treason to the murder of a U.S. government official, if they're able to prove such a case, or just conspiracy. Any of these crimes are very serious indeed, carrying penalties up to life imprisonment or even, potentially, the death penalty.

So far, John Walker Lindh has not been allowed access to his attorney, although his attorney has made it clear that both he and the family would very much like to talk to him. However, the military here says that he will be given access to the international Red Cross, if the Red Cross or the Red Crescent decides that they want to see him and inspect the conditions under which he's being held.

For now, the military's being very tight-lipped about those conditions. They won't say where on the compound he's being held or under what circumstances, only that he's being held here and they hope to ship him off just as soon as possible. David Wright with the U.S. Marines in southern Afghanistan.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

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