A jury in a US District Court in Alexandria did not find Mohammad Sharifullah, an Afghan citizen handed over to the United States by Pakistan, responsible for the 2021 attack on Kabul airport.
His case has been regarded as one of the most prominent terrorism cases during Donald Trump’s second presidency.
After two days of deliberations, the jury found Sharifullah guilty of conspiring to provide material support to ISIS.
During the withdrawal of US forces from Afghanistan, an explosion occurred at Kabul International Airport that killed 170 Afghan civilians and 13 US service members.
Pakistan arrested Sharifullah last year and handed him over to the United States, earning praise from Donald Trump.
Trump had described him as the “top terrorist responsible” for the attack at Kabul airport’s “Abbey Gate,” but prosecutors in court described his role in more limited terms.
Jeremy Kamens, a federal public defender, told the jury that the US government had “charged the wrong man.” He argued that Sharifullah gave a false confession out of fear for himself and his family, who were being held by Pakistani forces. Pakistan had detained his pregnant wife and three young children.
The judge of the US District Court in Alexandria has asked lawyers to submit written proposals regarding the continuation of the proceedings. He did not specify when a final ruling would be issued.
