Lindh parents seek his commutation

SAN FRANCISCO, Dec. 19 (UPI) -- The parents of U.S. Muslim convert and terror detainee John Lindh have made their fourth attempt to have the White House commute his 20-year prison sentence.

Lindh's mother, Marilyn Walker told a news conference Tuesday that her son "had no involvement whatsoever in terrorism or criminal activity" before being arrested in Afghanistan as a Taliban soldier in 2001, the San Francisco Chronicle reported Wednesday.

"We hope that President (George) Bush and first lady Laura Bush will find it in their hearts to extend mercy to John Lindh and to our family this holiday season, by granting John an early release from prison," Walker said.

Family attorney James Brosnahan said Lindh's sentence is unfair compared with others, such as Australian David Hicks who was sentenced to nine months in prison for providing material support to al-Qaida, the San Jose (Calif.) Mercury News reported.

Bush hasn't responded to the family's previous three requests to commute or reduce Lindh's sentence and a Justice Department spokesman said only the latest request was "still pending," the reports said.

Lindh, now 26, converted to Islam as a teenager. He has 11 years left to serve at an undisclosed medium-security prison, the Chronicle said.