Marin County 'American Taliban' John Walker Lindh To Be Paroled

MARIN COUNTY, CA -- John Walker Lindh, the Marin County man who was nicknamed the 'American Taliban' after he was captured fighting for terrorist forces in Afghanistan in 2001, is due to be released on parole May 23.

Lindh, who moved to San Anselmo with his family at age 10 and went to high school in Larkspur, plead guilty after he was captured. In 2002, he was sentenced to 20 years in prison after he admitting to supplying services to the Taliban and carrying explosives in commission of a felony.

Last month, a federal judge in Virginia, T.S. Ellis III, ordered that upon his release after serving 18 years of his sentence, Lindh, 38, can’t view or access extremist or terrorism videos, cannot have an internet-capable device without permission from his probation office and has to allow the probation office to monitor his internet use.

Judge Ellis also ordered Lindh to undergo mental health counseling, to not communicate with anyone online in any language other than English, and to not leave the United States without permission of the court.

Lindh's probation, under the terms of his plea agreement, is set for three years. It is still unclear whether he plans to return to Marin County upon his release Thursday from federal prison in Terre Haute, Indiana.

He still has ties to the area, including his father, Frank Lindh, who teaches at USF and UC Hastings law schools and has defended his son's character in past media interviews.