A homecoming party for an American soldier freed by the Taliban after five years in captivity has been cancelled because of security concerns.

Sergeant Bowe Bergdahl's home town of Hailey, Idaho - where yellow ribbons and posters celebrating his release have been hung from trees, gate posts and telegraph poles - had planned a welcome home party for family and friends.

However some say Bergdahl (28) whose release was filmed by Taliban fighters, should be punished for allegedly abandoning his post in Afghanistan before his capture in 2009.

Some of Hailey's 8,000 residents have been swamped with hate mail and angry phone calls branding Bergdahl un-American and a traitor and leaving officials to admit they do not have enough resources to guarantee security at the event.

Lee-Ann Ferris, who lives next door to the Bergdahls, said "It's like a modern-day lynching. He hasn't even been able to give his side of the story yet. This community will welcome him back no matter what".

Jane Drussel, President of the town's chamber of commerce, added "The joy has all of a sudden become not so joyful".

The decision to cancel the celebration came as top intelligence officials defended their decision to free five Taliban commanders in exchange for Sergeant Bergdahl.

During a classified briefing US Senators, some of whom have criticised the prisoner swap, say they should have been consulted about a move they claim is a threat to Americans abroad, were reportedly shown a proof-of-life video of the soldier filmed in December 2013.

Senators leaving the briefing said Sergeant Bergdahl looked sickly in the video and stammered as he identified himself, according to the Washington Post.

US Defence Secretary Chuck Hagel previously warned critics not to judge the soldier prematurely, telling a NATO defence ministers' meeting in Brussels "It's not in the interests of anyone and certainly, I think, a bit unfair to Sergeant Bergdahl's family and to him to presume anything. We don't do that in the United States. We rely on facts".

The Taliban video of Sergeant Bergdahl's release showed US forces landing in a Black Hawk helicopter before shaking hands with the soldier's captors.

His captors are seen waving before a message flashes up on screen, warning "Don't come back to afghanistan (sic)".

Sergeant Bergdahl is now in a military hospital in Germany, undergoing physical and mental assessments.