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18 years later: Remembering CIA Officer Johnny “Mike” Spann, the first American killed in Afghanistan after 9/11

18 years later: Remembering CIA Officer Johnny “Mike” Spann, the first American killed in Afghanistan after 9/11

Killed in the Battle of Qala-i-Jangi (11-25-2001). John Walker Lindh, the American Taliban interrogated by Spann just before Spann was killed, was released from prison last May.

https://abc3340.com/news/local/hes-a-traitor-mike-spanns-father-reacts-to-john-walker-lindhs-impending-release

For many years, on November 25 and also Memorial Day, we have remembered Johnny Micheal Spann, a CIA Operations Officer who was the first American killed in Afghanistan after 9/11.

We have told Spann’s story many times, but it never gets old. Our 15th Anniversary post summed up much of what we had learned, 15th Anniversary: Johnny “Mike” Spann, first American killed in Afghanistan.

A small group of special operations officers, often riding on horseback, helped organize the Northern Alliance forces and overthrow the Taliban.

https://twitter.com/CIA/status/802214669515714562

My first post about Spann wasn’t on November 25 or Memorial Day, it was on May 3, 2011 [Note – some of the links in this 2011 post have gone bad]:

Hearing the news of Osama bin Laden’s death brought forward many emotions and memories.

One of those memories for me was the story of Johnny “Mike” Spann, from Winfield, Alabama, the first American killed [in Afghanistan] in the Afghanistan war, on November 25, 2001.

Spann was a CIA operative, one of a small number of Americans who landed in Afghanistan, helped coordinate local forces hostile to the Taliban, and directed bombing and other military action.

The story of this small band of men has been told, but not told enough.

Spann was killed during the Battle of Qala-i-Jangi when Taliban prisoners gained access to weapons and attacked.

Spann was killed during that uprising (see video).  One of the prisoners was the so-called American Taliban, John Walker Lyndh, who Spann interrogated shortly before Spann’s death.

Spann’s wife Shannon also worked for the CIA.  In addition to his wife, Spann left behind two daughters and an infant son

Spann’s family established a website to honor his life, and there is a wealth of information and photos at his Arlington National Cemetery page.

There is an interesting honor paid to Spann at the website of Afghan General and Warlord Abdul Radhis Dostum, including a link to a photo of the memorial to Spann at the site of the uprising in which he died.

So in these days in which we remember those who died on 9/11, let’s also remember Johnny “Mike” Spann, who died in the weeks immediately after 9/11 on a battlefield far from home, and who against seemingly impossible odds helped pave the way for the overthrow of the Taliban, and over nine years later, the justice delivered two days ago.

In over a dozen posts since 2011, we have continued to document various aspects of Spann’s life and death, including his family:

The big news this year was the release of John Walker Lindh in May, which was the subject of several posts.

http://www.cbsnews.com/news/worlds-collide-07-12-2001/

I’ve not been able to find out where Lindh went after his release, and he has stayed out of the news The most recent information is that he was released in Virginia.

So there’s not a lot new to report, but it’s important to remember what we already know.

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Comments

He should never have been released, still a soldier of Satan.
If he commits one more sin against an American, or other innocent, it’s all on our courts empty souls.
To release someone who remains a terrorist is just ridiculous. He should rot in hell….

I appreciate the remembrance Professor.

RIP, Mr. Spann. All Americans owe you a debt of gratitude.

18 years later we find that John O Brennan has been directing his employees to overthrow the duly elected presidebt of the united States and worked with the last president to do so.
How far and fast they have fallen.

Time to disband the FBI, CIA and FISA courts. They have proved incapable of maintaining Mr. Spann’s integrity.

    Nothing can survive 8 years of Obama. Except treason.

    oldgoat36 in reply to PapaGuns. | November 26, 2019 at 5:58 am

    The FBI has not fallen far from it’s roots of corruption. If you look at the roots of corruption it showed through the Hoover years and the civil rights era abuses, it echoes similar through the years aided by Patriot Act it just uses legal means to push similar abuses.
    The CIA came about from WWII and the disbanding of the OSS which was military based. Hoover hated any organization which threatened his powers. The CIA has gone on to insert itself into countries to instigate problems and it was also part of the massive abuses done during the Civil Rights era. While Congress has oversight, it is nearly impossible to oversee everything they do.
    They serve their purposes, but the leadership is can abuse the system in place and the underlings are forced into compliance through a veil of compartment which hides reasons and motives, where their careers are hinged on performance regardless of how reckless those assignments can be.
    There agencies are supposed to be apolitical, yet we have seen that they are subject to becoming weaponized against political opponents. The NSA is no better than either of these.
    We give up a lot of freedom in the name of “protection” from our enemies. Tons of money goes through every one of these and not all are accountable, hidden behind protections they claim for operations which need to be kept hidden. Even oversight that is diligent are blind to the funds that can be funneled through these agencies.
    They do good, but are quite capable of great evil as well. We are told they don’t do political assassinations anymore (it’s acknowledged that they have in the past) yet it is their word rather than concrete proof that we rely on that they don’t.
    They have grown unwieldy, and we have numerous other agencies which operate in shadows that have stemmed from them.
    The CIA under Brennan is highly suspect and he had his acolytes which are still throughout the organization. Lindh should never have been given such a short time as a traitor to this country. It smells of Obama’s far too cozy relation with Islam as well as Brennan’s. Lindh’s actions and Obama’s in getting his “release” are suspect, and while we don’t know if Spann was killed directly because of Lindh, Lindh certainly was a big part of the situation which lead to Spann being killed.
    This is yet another reason the investigations into Comey, Brennan and Clapper and McCabe need to happen, they need to be brought to trial. No one in their organizations suffered from the abuses found in the Church and Pike Committees, this time they need to if we are ever to have them regain our trust.

      The founders understood why a national police force was a bad idea, and they were right.

      Bury the FBI and piss on the grave.

      Put all intelligence operations under the military. Get rid of the CIA.

      notamemberofanyorganizedpolicital in reply to oldgoat36. | November 26, 2019 at 10:04 am

      See this last episode of the History Channel series about the conception in evil of both the CIA and FBI – conceived in evil and weened on murders…….

      https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NZKjm9ezTXQ

      Kennedy Assassination – The Men Who Killed Kennedy

      Imo this makes it completely clear were Hilary, Bill, and all the Bushes got their pattern for their life-time behaviours.

Has everyone heard the breaking story that Omar passed classified info to Iran?

Thanks for remembering. I had a job assignment several years ago in Winfield, AL and there were some window stickers at city hall for the purpose of remembering Michael.
“Johnny “Michael” Spann” 79th Star on the CIA Wall of Honor”.
I still have this sticker on my truck’s rear window. I share what I know about Michael with people who are curious. It’s getting weather worn and I’d love to replace it with a new one. I’m travelling again near Winfield mid-December if anyone knows where I could pick up another one. Never, ever, forgotten.
Best of life and blessings to his family.

notamemberofanyorganizedpolicital | November 26, 2019 at 10:42 am

More current, breaking Deep State Crimes…..

Disturbing Likelihood – FBI Lawyer Manipulated Carter Page’s Own Communication With FBI to Target Him…

https://theconservativetreehouse.com/2019/11/25/disturbing-likelihood-fbi-lawyer-manipulated-carter-pages-own-communication-with-fbi-to-target-him/

A Marine before Obama infected it with turds.

Find the old honormikespann website here; https://web.archive.org/web/20070809122555/http://www.honormikespann.org/index.html

Check the pdf link:

False and misleading statements by Mr. Frank Lindh omits many known facts. Article of appeal by Johnny Spann February 01, 2006. This rebuttal of statements and claims made by Frank Lindh, father of John Walker Lindh, will address these issues.

Frank Lindh is pushing for an official pardon or clemency of his son for the Al Queda activities of which he is known to have been involved. These activities came to the public’s attention in November of 2001, and involved the death of my son, Johnny Micheal Spann, a CIA agent sent to interview the prisoners at the Qala I Jangi fortress outside Mazar E Shiref.

My son met his death at the hands of Al Queda terrorists on November 25, 2001…one of the Al Queda terrorists present that day was Frank Lindh’s son. First and foremost I would like to clarify two primary points:

•Frank Lindh claims that his son never fired his weapon. This is false.
•Frank Lindh claims that his son did not fight against Americans. This also is false. Some other known facts that Frank Lindh chooses to overlook are listed below.

1.John Walker Lindh, changed his name to Suleyman al-Farisand was also known as Abdul Hamid.

2.John Walker Lindh was a member of, and trained with Al Queda. Al Queda is a league of foreign fighters who are trained by Osama Bin Laden. Members of this group of fighters are typically not citizens or natives of Afghanistan. John Walker Lindh was not allowed to join the Taliban, because he did not speak any of their languages like Dari or Postum, and was not a Afghan. But was allowed to join and train with the Al Queda. The Taliban harbored Bin Laden and his Al Queda terrorist.

3. Al Queda terrorist members flew airplanes into U.S. buildings on September 11,2001, killing over 3,000 Americans.

4.John Walker Lindh trained in the mujahideen terrorist camps first.

5.After trying to join the Taliban and being refused. John Walker Lindh trained at AlFarooq – Osama Bin Laden’s terrorist training camp -and has officially stated that he met and talked to Bin Laden more than once while in this training. He also stated he spent time at Bin Laden’s guest house.

6.John Walker Lindh stated that he had knowledge of the plans for the 9-11 attacks against the U.S. He stated that he knew that Al Queda members had been sent to the United States to carry out suicide missions. He stated that he had also been told about the 9-11 attacks on America, but chose to stay and continue to fight with the Al Queda terrorists.For all Lindh knew, his own family members could have been victims of the suicide missions. Frank Lindh claims that his son was not responsible for 9/11 attacks, and that he had nothing to do with them. He is not telling that he not only knew about the
plans, but also opted – as an American – not to alert anyone about his knowledge. Lindh stated that after training camp he was asked if he like to go to other places to carry out terrorist activities, This proves he was just like the rest of the trainees or he would never have been ask to go.

7.John Walker Lindh sent an email to his mother stating that the attacks on the USS Cole were justified, and that he did not care if he ever set foot in America again.

8.After leaving the training camps, John Walker Lindh went to Takar. While in the trenches on the front lines in Takar, he said that his rifle malfunctioned and was issued another one. Frank Lindh said his son never fired his weapon. How can his rifle malfunction, if he never fired it?

9.John Walker Lindh surrendered with the other terrorist Al Queda fighters at Kundus, having retreated there from Takar. He did not let anyone know that he was American, or that he wanted to leave. (He stated that he was told to say that he was Irish if anyone should ask).

10.John Walker Lindh was transported to Qala I Jangi Fortress on Saturday evening,November 24, 2001, and stayed in the basement house, also known as the Pink House,that night.

11.The revolt was planned that night while at the Pink House.Two of the prisoners stated that everyone there that night had to choose if and how they were going to be involved.

12.Sunday morning, November 25, 2001, my son and his partner arrived at the prison.During this time Micheal Spann attempted to question John Walker Lindh. This encounter was captured on the, approx. 2 hours of video, being filmed by General Dostum’s soldier.The prisoners being interviewed were led one at a time, from the Pink House to an open courtyard. They were lightly restrained with their elbows tied behind their back. This left their hands free to the front. This was the afghan way of restraining.John Walker Lindh was one of these prisoners. After being asked to identify himself,(practically begging him). He would not talk to his fellow Americans, and yet another opportunity went by to tell someone whom he was and that he needed help. John Walker Lindh also did not inform Mike Spann, or any other American there, about the planned revolt.If that information had been shared it would have saved my son’s life.

13. At approx. 11 AM Sunday Morning, as planned on Saturday evening by the prisoners, a grenade was thrown to signal the attack. This is verified on the two-hour video.The prisoners inside the Pink House, which were approx. 300, began their attack against the guards, and the Americans. The prisoners in the courtyard, which only had their elbows tied, jumped to their feet and attacked my son, Mike, from behind while he was engaging the terrorist that were charging him from the basement house.This is verified in the FBI documents released in late 2004, of interviews with prisoners at Guantánamo Bay. which have the accounts of that attack how it started and what ensued. Additionally, two doctors and other northern Alliance soldiers that I personally talked to in Afghanistan, stated that they were within feet of Mike when the grenade was thrown by the terrorist to start the revolt. John Walker Lindh jumped to his feet to take part, just like the other terrorists,and was shot in the leg. ( His father says he jumped to his feet to run)

14.John Walker Lindh, and the others in the courtyard, retreated to the basement house (Pink House), and continued to fight the Northern Alliance and the Americans.On the second day, the Northern Alliance sent Red Cross workers inside to get them to surrender, and John Walker Lindh, and his fellow terrorist fighters, killed them. Some 5 days later they finally surrendered.

15.Robert Young Pelton, a reporter working in Afghanistan, was the first to interviewed John Walker Lindh after they finally surrendered. After bringing John Walker Lindh food and an American Medic, he tried to help him during their interview offering to get in touch with his parents.John Walker Lindh stated to Pelton, when asked if this was what he thought it would be like. He stated “This is exactly what Ithought that it would be like”. Pelton stated that John Walker Lindh showed no remorse for his actions. Pelton’s account is also attached to this article.

16. Frank Lindh maintains that the terrorists’ prisoners were beaten.This is blatantly false.I personally have a copy of the original video, which clearly shows that no beatings took place.It is documented on the video that two doctors were brought to the site and were treating and tending to the wounds of the terrorist prisoners.There was no violence at all until the grenade was thrown to start the revolt. This is also shown on the video. This is only a portion of information that Frank Lindh is not making public during his quest for his son’s pardon.The facts stated in this letter are documented in the following ways:

•Video from General Dostum, taken the morning of the attack, which is the video the French reporter obtained and sold to CAPA TV, which in turn sold a small portion to 3 American TV news networks. This small portion was then shown on television showing Mike Spann trying to talk with Lindh.

•Reports of the attack given by the prisoners at Guantánamo Bay and released by FBI,

•Eyewitness accounts: including the accounts of two Afghan doctors that I personally spoke with while visiting Afghanistan. A Northern Alliance intel officer, and several northern alliance soldiers. The two doctors and the intel officer are shown on the video.

•Information given to Mark Kukas, by two prisoners in Shurbergon prison.

•Information supplied by Robert Pelton, whose letter is attached.

•John Walker Lindh’s own personal statements.

* Information given to me by General Dostum and his staffAs an American, and one of many parents who have lost a child to war in order to protect our country, I appeal to you to not allow Frank Lindh to achieve a pardon for his Al Queda, terrorist, traitor son, John Walker Lindh, Aka: Sulleyman al Farris, Aka: Abdul Hamid.

Respectfully,

Johnny Spann

I remember the debate and gradual extinction of the death penalty in most states. States that outlawed the death penalty would promise that truly evil people would spend the rest of their natural lives in prison. And so, the bills were passed.

Now, we turn murderers loose.

Charles Manson was never turned loose, but he would periodically come up for parole, and the families of the slain were left to revisit their terrible memories and oppose his release. I was saddened for the family every time that happened. I thought it a singularly graceless, continuing injury to those who mourned. The State of California shows mercy only to its prisoners.

John Walker Lindh should be dead. Instead, he has been released, out of a certain lack of respect for our country, and for human life.