The United States charged Mohammad Sharifullah on March 2. Sharifullah is a member of Islamic State of Iraq and ash-Sham-Khorasan Province (ISIS-K), a terrorist organization.
He was charged with providing and conspiring to provide material support and resources to a designated foreign terrorist organization resulting in death. He appeared in the Eastern District of Virginia on Wednesday.
“The charges announced today carry an unmistakable message: the commitment of the United States to hold accountable all who facilitate and carry out acts of terror against us will never waver,” U.S. Attorney Erik S Siebert for the Eastern District of Virginia said. “Our message to those who have been impacted by these horrific crimes is that you are not forgotten. We will continue to pursue justice no matter how long or how far it takes us.”
Sharifullah told FBI Special Agents that he helped prepare for the Abbey Gate attack that occurred at Hamid Karzai International Airport in Kabul, Afghanistan, on Aug. 26, 2021, during an evacuation of civilians. A suicide bomber killed 13 U.S. military service members and approximately 160 civilians.
Sharifullah also admitted to in multiple other lethal attacks on behalf of ISIS-K. If convicted, he could be sentenced to life in prison.