Written by Don Byrd
John Walker Lindh, known as the “American Taliban” because he is a U.S. citizen who was captured in 2001 fighting with the Taliban in Afghanistan, has won a religious freedom challenge. Lindh successfully argued that the Religious Freedom Restoration Act requires he be allowed to participate in group prayers in prison. CNN International has more on Friday’s ruling.
The judge ordered an injunction “prohibiting the warden from enforcing the policy against daily congregate prayer for Muslims, including Mr. Lindh, for whom daily congregate prayer is a sincerely held religious belief,” the court order states.
Already, prisoners are allowed to gather in the unit’s multi-purpose room to listen or watch recording of Quran verses. Allowing them to pray is not significantly different from this and should be allowed, the judge ruled.
If gathering together is allowed for other activities, denying it for prayer makes little sense. Regardless of the crime that landed Lindh in prison, his rights under the law remain.
