Live Roundups Editor's Desk Insights Executive Ops Weather About 🔍
Home › UK News › Kidnapped US journalist faces Taliban captor in court as...
UK News

Kidnapped US journalist faces Taliban captor in court as 42-year sentence caps long saga

The Guardian UK Saturday 13 June 2026, 14:00 UTC By Victoria Bekiempis in New York 1 min read
Key Points

Haji Najibullah imprisoned for role in capture of David Rohde, New York Times journalist held for months in 2008Haji Najibullah appeared unbothered as he walked into Manhattan federal court earlier this week to learn whether he would face life behind bars for his role in brutal violence during his time as a Taliban commander – including the 2008 kidnapping of US journalist David Rohde. Najibullah, who walked into the courtroom in shackles at about 9.50am Monday, sporting khaki jail garb and...

Haji Najibullah imprisoned for role in capture of David Rohde, New York Times journalist held for months in 2008

Haji Najibullah appeared unbothered as he walked into Manhattan federal court earlier this week to learn whether he would face life behind bars for his role in brutal violence during his time as a Taliban commander – including the 2008 kidnapping of US journalist David Rohde.

Najibullah, who walked into the courtroom in shackles at about 9.50am Monday, sporting khaki jail garb and a black skullcap, could even be seen grinning at various points before proceedings started.

Continue reading...
US (LOCATION) Taliban (ORG) Haji Najibullah (PERSON) David Rohde (PERSON) New York Times (ORG) Najibullah (ORG) Manhattan (LOCATION)
Originally published by The Guardian UK Read original →

Related Stories

Thousands attend anti-racism rally in Belfast

People during an anti-racism rally outside Belfast City Hall in Belfast.

Sky News 16m ago

New rules abound - why VAR diving decision was wrong despite feeling right

Some new rules and tweaks to a few old ones have been introduced for the 2026 World Cup. But are the changes leading to confusion?

BBC News 23m ago

Revealed: DWP still allowing unpaid carers to run up debts despite being told about overpayments

Chris Farrell was given benefit for six months despite his repeated requests for payments to stopA former unpaid carer has urged welfare officials to “get their act together” after they continued to pay him carer’s benefit for six months after the death of his husband, potentially landing him with debts of more than £1,300.Chris Farrell, 65, who claimed carer’s allowance for four years while providing full-time care for his late husband repeatedly tried to get the Department for Work and...

The Guardian UK 25m ago

George Russell bounces back in style to claim pole at Barcelona-Catalunya GP

‘I feel like my old self again. It’s a bit of a relief’Lewis Hamilton second ahead of Kimi AntonelliGeorge Russell scorched to pole position for Sunday’s Barcelona-Catalunya Grand Prix after Lewis Hamilton narrowly failed to pip him with a thrilling last-ditch effort for Ferrari. Another dramatic qualifying session was stopped early in Q3 when Charles Leclerc, Hamilton’s Ferrari teammate, suffered a heavy high-speed crash that knocked him out of contention.

The Guardian UK 31m ago