Overview

• Haji Najibullah, a former Taliban commander, pleaded guilty in Manhattan federal court to terrorism charges and hostage-taking related to actions in Afghanistan from 2007 to 2009.
• Najibullah provided weapons and commanded fighters responsible for attacks that killed U.S. soldiers, including a 2008 convoy ambush that left three soldiers and an Afghan interpreter dead.
• He played a direct role in the 2008 kidnapping of journalist David Rohde, Afghan journalist Tahir Ludin, and their driver, forcing them to make ransom videos under Taliban demands.
• Najibullah was extradited from Ukraine to the U.S. in 2020 and now faces a recommended life sentence under federal guidelines, with sentencing set for October 23, 2025.
• This case highlights the use of U.S. terrorism statutes to prosecute foreign insurgents and underscores international cooperation in counterterrorism efforts.