NEW YORK — A former Taliban commander was sentenced to 42 years in prison in Manhattan federal court for his role in the 2008 kidnapping of an American journalist and providing material support for terrorism that resulted in the deaths of U.S. soldiers, the U.S. Department of Justice said.
Haji Najibullah, also known by several aliases including Najibullah Naim, was sentenced on Tuesday by U.S. District Judge Katherine Polk Failla. He had pleaded guilty in April 2025 to hostage taking and providing material support for acts of terrorism resulting in death.
Prosecutors said Najibullah led and participated in the abduction of New York Times reporter David Rohde, an Afghan interpreter and their driver in Afghanistan on Nov. 10, 2008. The hostages were held for more than seven months in various locations in Afghanistan and Pakistan as the captors sought ransom and prisoner releases. Rohde eventually escaped.
Najibullah also commanded Taliban fighters in Afghanistan's Wardak Province who carried out attacks on U.S. and coalition forces between 2007 and 2009, including ambushes using improvised explosive devices and rocket-propelled grenades that resulted in the deaths of three American soldiers, according to court documents.
During the sentencing hearing, Rohde confronted Najibullah in court, describing the impact of the abduction. Najibullah declined to take full responsibility, officials said.
The case highlights long-term U.S. efforts to pursue individuals involved in attacks on Americans abroad. Najibullah was extradited to the United States after his capture.
Acting Attorney General Todd Blanche said in a statement that the sentence demonstrates that "those who harm Americans and engage in acts of terrorism will be hunted down and brought to justice, no matter how long it takes."
Defense arguments and details of mitigating factors presented in court were not immediately detailed in public releases. The judge cited Najibullah’s guilty plea and time already served when imposing a sentence below potential life imprisonment guidelines.
The kidnapping drew significant attention at the time as Rohde, a Pulitzer Prize-winning journalist, was held by Taliban-linked networks. The resolution of the case after nearly 18 years provides closure for victims' families.
As of June 11, 2026, Najibullah is serving his sentence in federal prison. No further appeals or immediate legal actions have been publicly reported following the sentencing.
