Cnn
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President Donald Trump announced on Tuesday evening that the United States had apprehended an “high terrorist” involved in the bombing in 2021 at the Kabul Airport Abbey in Afghanistan where 13 American soldiers and at least 170 Afghan civilians were killed.
Mohammad Sharifullah, who was allegedly involved in the planning of bombing during the American withdrawal of Afghanistan in August 2021, was accused of providing and conspiracy to provide material support for terrorism. He arrived in the United States on Wednesday, according to a familiar source with the operation.
“Tonight, I am happy to announce that we have just abandoned the best terrorist responsible for this atrocity, and he is on his way here to face the rapid sword of American justice,” said Trump in his spouse in the Congress.
Pakistan acted on CIA intelligence which led to the arrest of Sharifullah, according to another source familiar with the issue. In his speech, Trump thanked Pakistan for “helping to stop this monster”.
Pakistani Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif returned the gratitude message to a statement published on Wednesday, thanking Trump for having “recognized and appreciated Pakistan’s role and support in the efforts to fight terrorism in Afghanistan”.
Sharif said Pakistan’s security forces have apprehended Sharifullah, an Afghan national, “in a successful operation carried out in the Pakistani-Afghane border region”.
“We will continue to associate closely with the United States to guarantee regional peace and stability,” he added.
In his speech on Tuesday, Trump again attacked President Joe Biden for the treatment of the withdrawal of Afghanistan, a criticism he frequently made on the campaign of the campaign last year. Trump said he spoke to the families of the military who were killed during a call before his speech “and they only cried with happiness.”
“It was a very important day for these 13 families, which I really known, most of whom the children were murdered and the many people who were so bad – more than 42 people so seriously injured on this fateful day in Afghanistan,” said Trump. “What a horrible day. Such incompetence has been shown. »»
Sharifullah was charged in the Virginie Oriental District to provide and plot to provide material support for an designated foreign terrorist organization leading to death, according to an uncle -sealed indictment on Tuesday evening.
He was interviewed by FBI agents on Sunday, where he told them that he was recruited in 2016 in Isis-K, an Islamic State branch. In the interview, Shariffullah “admitted that he had supported and carried out activities in the name of the Islamic-K State in support of multiple fatal attacks,” according to the indictment.
Sharifullah, also known as “Jafar”, according to court documents, was in prison from 2019 to two weeks before the abbey attack. When it was released, it was contacted by members of the Islamic State to obtain aid in the attack.
“Sharifullah was responsible for identifying a route near (Hamid Karzai International Airport) for an attacker. Sharifullah has surveillance on a route, specifically verifying the application of the law and the American or Taliban control points, “said court.
“Sharifullah communicated to other members of the Islamic State that he thought that the route was clear and that he did not think that the attacker would be detected during this road.”
The members of the Islamic State asked him to leave the area around the airport, according to court documents. “Later that day that day, Sharifullah learned Hkia’s attack described above and recognized the alleged bomber as an ISIS-K agent whom he had known when he was imprisoned.”
The indictment also details Sharifullal’s alleged involvement in two other attacks, saying that he had surveillance and transported a bomber to an attack on the embassy guards in Kabul in 2016, and provided arms training for armed men who conducted a Moscow nightclub last year.
Trump CIA director John Ratcliffe raised the problem during his first phone call with Pakistani Intel chief, who took place during his first days at work, added the familiar source.
Administration higher members have announced the news.
“As President Trump has just announced it, I can point out that this evening the FBI, the DoJ and the CIA extradited one of the terrorists responsible for the murder of the 13 American soldiers in Abbey Gate during the disastrous withdrawal of Afghanistan,” said FBI director Kash Patel, published on X shortly after Trump announced. “One more step of justice for these American heroes and their families.”
Sophia Saifi and Josh Campbell of CNN contributed to this report