By Eric Tucker and Zeke Miller, Associated Press
Washington (AP)-An alleged senior planner from the Kabul airport suicide bombing, which killed 13 US service members during the American chaotic withdrawal from Afghanistan was placed in police custody and was brought to the United States to face accusations, President Donald Trump announced on Tuesday evening.
“I am happy to announce that we have just learned the best terrorist responsible for this atrocity. And he is currently on his way to cope with the rapid sword of American justice, “said Trump in a joint convention address.
The White House identified the man as Muhammed Sharifullah and described him as having “orchestrated the attack on the door of the abbey”. FBI director Kash Patel, who attended Trump’s address, posted on the X social media platform that arrest was “one more step from the justice for these American heroes and their families”.
A senior American official said that Sharifullah, known as Jafar, had been arrested at the end of last month at the border between Afghanistan and Pakistan by Pakistani officials. The American police, including the FBI, questioned Sharifullah during the weekend and he confessed to his role in the attack on the Abbey of 2021, said the manager, as well as an attack on March 2024 Isis-K in Moscow and several attacks inside Iran.
It is not immediately known what the accusations would face Sharifullah. The manager, speaking on condition of anonymity to discuss the case against Sharifullah before being unveiled, said the accusation documents would not be sealed on Wednesday. He was in transit in the United States while Trump spoke on Tuesday evening.
The Ministry of Justice did not immediately return an email asking for comments.
The bombing of the abbey in the last days of the withdrawal of Afghanistan killed 13 members of the American service and 170 Afghans, while injuring more. He sparked a widespread criticism of the congress and undermined public confidence in the administration of Biden.
Last year, an examination by the US central command concluded that the suicide attack was not avoidable. The American army previously identified the bomber as Abdul Rahman al-Logari, an Islamic State activist who had been in an Afghan prison but was released by the Taliban while the group took control of the country that summer.
Trump had repeatedly condemned the role of Biden in the withdrawal of Afghanistan on the campaign track and blamed Biden for the attack on the abbey. The official said that Sharifullah’s arrest intervened after the new coordination of the US intelligence community, an increase in information sharing and pressure on regional partners to bring officials of the attack to account since Trump’s Escure.
Originally published:
California Daily Newspapers
