VIRGINIA – Kabul suicide attack mastermind Sharifullah, who was arrested from the Pakistan-Afghanistan border and handed over to the US, has been produced before a court in Virginia for a preliminary hearing.
Sharifullah was brought before Judge William Porter in a federal court in Virginia on the afternoon of March 5. He was wrapped in standard blue prison attire.
US authorities have stated that Sharifullah is one of the two individuals involved in the Kabul attack.
During the 10-minute preliminary hearing, Sharifullah was informed that if the charges are proven, he could face life imprisonment. The Afghan national requested the services of a Dari language interpreter to communicate with the judge. At this point, the attorney informed the court that the defendant had no assets, so a federal public defender was required.
Sharifullah also confessed to aiding the attacker in the Kabul bombing and being involved in the March 2024 attack at Moscow’s City Hall.
Sharifullah stated that he personally checked the presence of law enforcement, Americans or Taliban checkpoints and later informed other ISIS terrorists that the path was clear and that the suicide bomber would not be recognized.
Sharifullah identified the suicide bomber, Al Logari, who carried out the attack at Kabul airport, as a member of ISIS, and also admitted to his involvement in various other attacks on behalf of ISIS.
On June 20, 2016, an ISIS suicide bomber attacked outside the Canadian embassy in Kabul, killing over 10 embassy guards and several civilians, with many others injured including some officials.
Sharifullah admitted to surveying the area for the attack and helping transport the terrorist to the location.
On March 22, 2024, ISIS carried out an attack on the Crocus City Hall near Moscow, resulting in 123 civilian deaths. Russian authorities arrested four armed individuals involved in the attack.
Sharifullah, during his interrogation, told the FBI that he had exchanged information with the attackers about how to use Kalashnikov-style rifles and other weapons. He admitted to giving instructions to two of the four arrested individuals.
Sharifullah told FBI agents that he had been in an Afghan prison since 2019. Two weeks before the Kabul attack, he was released and was provided with a motorcycle, given money to buy a phone, and warned to use only social media platforms for contacting other ISIS members during the attacks.
US Attorney Eric Seibert for the Eastern District of Virginia stated that the charges against Sharifullah send a message that the US will never back down from bringing those involved in terrorism to justice.
However, the US Department of Justice also stated that these are merely accusations until proven guilty, and all the individuals are presumed innocent until convicted.
Sharifullah, arrested on the charges of ties to ISIS, would be presented in court again on Monday.
Pakistan captured ISIS commander Sharifullah based on intelligence provided by the CIA. Sharifullah, the mastermind of the Kabul airport attack, was arrested from the Pakistan-Afghanistan border.
How ISIS commander Mohammad Sharifullah was arrested from Pak-Afghan border area?
