Afghan National Is On Trial For Suspected Role In 2021 Kabul Airport Bombing

Prosecutors said that successful FBI interviews aft waiving his Miranda rights, Sharifullah admitted to helping hole for nan Abbey Gate attack, including scouting a way adjacent nan airdrome for an attacker.

Sharifullah specifically checked for rule enforcement and American aliases Taliban checkpoints, and past communicated to different ISIS-K members that he believed nan way was clear and that nan attacker would not beryllium detected, prosecutors said.

Sharifullah said he had been successful situation until 2 weeks earlier nan bombing, according to tribunal papers. He told nan FBI he was recruited aft his merchandise and was provided a motorcycle and a cellphone.

Assistant U.S. Attorney for nan Eastern District of Virginia John Gibbs said erstwhile Sharifullah was successful custody, he was chatty pinch authorities; participating successful 5 FBI interviews — 2 connected nan crushed successful Pakistan, 2 during nan formation from nan Middle East to nan U.S., and 1 successful nan United States.

“You will perceive his words, and you will spot a awesome woody of grounds of his guilt," Gibbs said successful his opening statement.

Federal Public Defender Geremy Kamens said bluntly that nan U.S. had nan incorrect man, and Sharifullah's comments were fixed nether duress.

“This man, Mohammad Sharifullah, had thing to do pinch it,” Kamens said. "The mobility successful this lawsuit is not really astir what happened. But astir who is responsible.”

The authorities called witnesses group nan shape for Sharifullah’s suspected engagement successful not conscionable nan Abbey Gate bombing, but successful different attacks.

Georgetown University professor and coercion and counter-terrorism master Bruce Hoffman elaborate for jurors really ISIS operated, and really nan Afghanistan withdrawal played out, calling nan segment astatine Hamad Karzai International Airport up of nan bombing “complete pandemonium.”

In cross-examination, Sharifullah's lawyer sought to spot blasted connected nan Taliban, discussing nan power and powerfulness nan Taliban had successful Kabul and passim Afghanistan successful nan days starring up nan attack.

In April 2023, nan Taliban killed an ISIS-K fig described arsenic nan mastermind of nan Abbey Gate attack, pinch nary U.S. involvement, Biden management officials said astatine nan time.

The Biden management was wide criticized for its handling of nan withdrawal of U.S. troops from Afghanistan.