A federal jury in Virginia found Mohammad Sharifullah guilty of providing material support to ISIS-K in a conspiracy tied to the 2021 Abbey Gate attack at Kabul airport during the US withdrawal. Jurors did not agree on whether the conspiracy caused the deaths, affecting potential sentencing. US District Judge Anthony Trenga has not set a sentencing date.
International
-Sathish Raman
A US jury convicted Mohammad Sharifullah on Wednesday over a terror conspiracy tied to the 2021 Kabul airport blast. The case focused on the Abbey Gate attack during the US evacuation from Afghanistan. Sharifullah was found guilty of a single count of providing support to ISIS-K. The verdict came after a weeklong trial in Virginia.
A federal jury in Virginia found Mohammad Sharifullah guilty of providing material support to ISIS-K in a conspiracy tied to the 2021 Abbey Gate attack at Kabul airport during the US withdrawal. Jurors did not agree on whether the conspiracy caused the deaths, affecting potential sentencing. US District Judge Anthony Trenga has not set a sentencing date.
Prosecutors said the Aug. 26, 2021, bombing killed about 160 Afghans and 13 US service members. The attack happened as US troops ran an evacuation at Kabul airport. A lone bomber set off an improvised explosive device near an entry point called Abbey Gate. Sharifullah did not testify during the trial.
Mohammad Sharifullah verdict in ISIS-K Kabul airport case
The jury convicted Sharifullah of providing material support to ISIS-K, an Islamic State regional branch. Jurors did not agree on whether the conspiracy caused deaths at the airport. Because of that deadlock, the conviction did not include the deaths finding. A unanimous decision on that point could have brought a life sentence.
Sharifullah now faces up to 20 years in prison on the one-count conviction. US District Judge Anthony Trenga did not set a sentencing date straight away. Observers in court said Sharifullah showed no clear reaction as the verdict was read. The case was described as an international terrorism prosecution.
Justice Department claims about ISIS-K and Kabul airport planning
Justice Department prosecutor Ryan White told jurors Sharifullah helped plan the Abbey Gate bombing. White also linked Sharifullah to other ISIS-K violence. That included the March 2024 attack at a Moscow concert hall. Prosecutors said that assault killed about 140 people.
White challenged jurors to view Sharifullah as a committed participant in violence. “The defendant thought nothing of killing, White said. For him, it was just another day at the office.\” Prosecutors used the statement to argue intent and a pattern of conduct. The government presented Sharifullah as a key organiser.
Defence response on FBI questioning in the Kabul airport trial
Defence attorney Lauren Rosen said the case lacked independent proof linking Sharifullah to the blast. Rosen said prosecutors relied mainly on statements from hours of FBI questioning. Rosen suggested Sharifullah spoke to satisfy agents and avoid harsher treatment. Rosen raised fear of torture in Pakistani custody before transfer to the US.
Rosen said Sharifullah’s account did not match key details of the bombing. \”The problem was, he didnt know much about what actually happened that day, Rosen told jurors during the trials closing arguments. The government has told you nothing about how this attack actually happened.\” The defence argued that gaps weakened the conspiracy claim.
Central Command review on Abbey Gate bomber and prison release
A US Central Command review identified the Abbey Gate bomber as Abdul Rahman al-Logari. The review said the bomber was an Islamic State militant freed from an Afghan prison by the Taliban. An FBI affidavit said Sharifullah recognised the alleged bomber. Investigators said Sharifullah knew the operative from time in custody.
A former Marine told Congress that snipers noticed two possible suspects acting oddly that morning. The witness said the team did not receive permission to act. However, the Central Command review said the snipers did not spot the actual bomber. The review also concluded the attack could not have been prevented.
The case drew attention during US politics in the past year. President Donald Trump highlighted the prosecution in a speech to a joint session of Congress. Separately, a prosecutor on the Abbey Gate case was fired last year after public criticism. The removal involved Michael BenArys and followed scrutiny of work during President Joe Bidens Democratic administration.
Reports described BenArys’ ouster as part of wider changes inside the Justice Department. The changes affected veterans viewed as not loyal enough to Trump, a Republican. Sharifullah’s sentencing is still pending before Judge Trenga. The conviction closed the trial phase, while disputes remained over evidence and the deaths finding.
With inputs from PTI
