Surprise deal saves American Taliban from life in prison

JOHN WALKER LINDH, the American Taliban captured in Afghanistan, escaped life imprisonment yesterday after his lawyers reached a surprise deal with prosecutors.

The US government hailed the plea as an important victory and said Lindh would co-operate with intelligence officers and investigators in anti-terrorism efforts in exchange for his 20-year-sentence.

The deal, which caught even the trial judge off guard, was announced on the first day of what was supposed to be a week-long series of hearings at which defence lawyers hoped to get statements Lindh made to investigators thrown out of his trial.