Herbert F. was arrested in May 2023 on suspicion of espionage.
He had traveled to Afghanistan despite a travel warning from the Austrian government. The 84-year-old arrived in Qatar's capital Doha on Sunday after his release by the Islamist Taliban. When asked by journalists about his arrest in Afghanistan, F. said he had been "unlucky" but wanted to return there. He describes himself as an “Afghanistan expert” who has already visited the country several times.