Mohammad Sharifullah Found Guilty in Kabul Airport Bombing Case

On Wednesday, Mohammad Sharifullah was convicted of conspiracy to execute a suicide bombing at Kabul airport during the chaotic U.S. withdrawal from Afghanistan in 2021. He now faces a potential sentence of up to 20 years for one count of international terrorism.

It’s worth noting that Sharifullah didn’t take the stand during his week-long trial.

The incident took place on August 26, 2021, when a suicide bomber detonated an explosive near Abbey Gate, resulting in the deaths of around 160 Afghans and 13 U.S. service members as they were in the midst of the withdrawal operation.

The FBI’s Kash Patel remarked that the extradition of suspects connected to the Abbey Gate conspiracy was aimed at seeking “justice for 13 of us.”

A jury in Virginia found Sharifullah guilty of providing material support to a local ISIS faction, known as ISIS-K. However, they were unable to reach a unanimous decision on whether the deaths at the airport could be directly linked to the conspiracy, which could have led to a life sentence had they agreed.

Interestingly, Sharifullah showed no visible reaction to the verdict, and U.S. District Judge Anthony Trenga has yet to set a sentencing date.

Defense attorney Lauren Rosen argued that the FBI’s interrogation sessions revealed no solid evidence connecting Sharifullah to the attacks, except for what he allegedly stated under pressure. She suggested that he may have said what the FBI wanted to hear out of fear of being mistreated during his time in Pakistani custody before his extradition to the U.S.