The Kabul Tribune (KT) — An Afghan man arrested last year in connection with the 2021 suicide bombing at the Kabul airport was sentenced Wednesday to 20 years in federal prison after being convicted of providing material support to the Islamic State group’s Afghanistan affiliate.
According to ABC, Mohammad Sharifullah was convicted in
April by a federal jury after telling FBI investigators that he had helped
ISIS-K plan dozens of attacks over roughly a decade.
The jury, however, could not reach a unanimous decision on
whether Sharifullah’s support directly contributed to the Aug. 26, 2021,
suicide bombing at Hamid Karzai International Airport. The attack killed 13
U.S. service members and about 160 Afghan civilians during the chaotic U.S.
withdrawal from Afghanistan.
Defense attorneys argued that the government had no direct
evidence tying Sharifullah to the Abbey Gate attack other than his statements
to the FBI. They also argued that the statements may have been made under
duress because Sharifullah was interviewed after being arrested by Pakistani
authorities, whom the defense accused of having a history of torturing
terrorism suspects.
At Wednesday’s more than two-hour sentencing hearing, U.S.
District Judge Anthony Trenga said the government had presented sufficient
evidence for him to consider Sharifullah’s role in the Abbey Gate bombing
alongside his admitted involvement in other attacks carried out during his
years as an ISIS-K member.
Family members of the 13 U.S. service members killed in the
bombing addressed the court and urged Trenga to impose the maximum sentence of
20 years.
“No justice will be enough to mend my broken heart,” said
Paula Knauss, the mother of Army Staff Sgt. Ryan Knauss.
Alicia Lopez, the mother of Marine Cpl. Hunter Lopez,
described Sharifullah as responsible for setting in motion events that led to
her son’s death.
But Mark Schmitz, the father of Marine Lance Cpl. Jared
Schmitz, offered a different message. Addressing Sharifullah directly, Schmitz
said he forgave him for his role in his son’s death.
“I forgive you,” Schmitz said. “I will not carry my hatred
for you the rest of my life.”
Trump previously described Sharifullah as an “architect” of
the Abbey Gate bombing when announcing his arrest during a joint address to
Congress at the beginning of his second administration.
Trenga said there was “no doubt” that Sharifullah was a
“dedicated terrorist” and expressed frustration that federal law limited the
sentence to a maximum of 20 years.
“If I could pose a sentence separately for each of your
victims, I would,” Trenga said.
Sharifullah declined to address the court through an
interpreter. He showed no visible reaction as relatives of the victims spoke or
as the judge announced his sentence.
