By Mandy Suhr

Staff Writer

John Walker Lindh was indicted last week on 10 counts of aiding terrorists.

This indictment will be of great help to the U.S. government, who has been building its case against Lindh since they first discovered that he had been fighting on the front lines with Taliban soldiers against U.S.-led forces, according to the Chicago Sun Times.

In early 2000, Lindh left his wealthy Marin County home in Northern California in order to study Islam in Yemen. Lindh then went to Pakistan, and finally Afghanistan, where he allegedly joined to Taliban forces.

Accusations against the 20-year-old Lindh include charges of conspiring to kill Americans, supporting terrorist organizations in Afghanistan and Pakistan, supporting Afghanistan's former Taliban rulers and using firearms and destructive devices during crimes of violence.

Attorney General John Ashcroft said, ``As [the] indictment sets out, John Walker Lindh chose to train with al-Qaeda, chose to fight with the Taliban, chose to be led by Osama bin Laden...the reasons to his choices may never be fully known to us, but the fact of these choices is clear.''

Meanwhile, Lindh's lawyers are petitioning for his release during the legal proceedings because they claim U.S. ``government custodians threatened [Lindh] with death and torture'' after Lindh's capture in December, during his transport to military base, Camp Rhino in Afghanistan.

Lindh's lawyers also claim that statements made by Lindh to an FBI agent at Camp Rhino, regarding his activities in Pakistan and Afghanistan were made under duress. The lawyers say that their client was questioned after being held for eight days with little food, no access to legal counsel, and denied badly medical treatment.

While Lindh's parents did obtain an attorney for their son, the lawyers claim that the government prevented messages from Lindh's parents from being delivered to him through the Red Cross.

Lindh's lawyers also complained that no video tape or transcript had been provided to them of December 9-10 interrogation of their client by an FBI agent.

In response to all of the lawyers' complaints, Ashcroft denied that Lindh had been mistreated. Ashcroft stated the following: ``[Lindh] has, by his own statements, been treated well and received adequate food and medical treatment while in the custody of U.S. officials.''

Ashcroft also said, ``At each step in this process, Walker Lindh's rights, including his rights not to...incriminate himself and to be represented by council, have been carefully, scrupulously honored.''

In the meantime, President George W. Bush continues to promote the war on terror. In a speech in Pittsburgh last week, the president assured listeners that Osama Bin Laden will be brought to justice. Bush said ``there's no cave deep enough'' to hide the al-Qaeda leader.

Bush also attempted to calm nerves aroused by recent news stories reporting that bin Laden has escaped and might never be located. The president said, ``Oh, I know the news media likes to say, `Where's ol' Osama bin Laden?' He's not the issue. The issue is international terror. I like our chances against bin Laden, however.''

As far as the case is concerned, public sentiment is not in favor of the man who has been labeled the ``American Terrorist,'' and feelings are not likely to change with lawyers' complaints.

The lawyers may delay trials and hearings, but no matter what the outcome, Lindh is not likely to live a pleasant life after the trial. Citizens, instead of sympathizing with the pleas of Lindh's lawyers', are likely to share John Ashcroft's position who expressed his feelings toward Lindh in the following statement: ``Americans who love their country do not dedicate themselves to killing Americans.''