- 26 Aug 2023 22:21
#15284358
A man originally from Pakistan, who was living and working in the U.S. on an H-1B visa, has been sentenced to 18 years in a U.S. court for communicating through the internet to try to arrange joining an Islamic militant group in Syria and Northern Iraq.
It does seem a little questionable since the "crime" amounted to communicating that he planned to do something. That thing being to fight on behalf of a group in another distant part of the world in another country.
Allegedly, in one communication, the man mused (it was not clear how seriously) about the possibility his role could be "lone wolf attacks" in the United States, but stated he believed he "belonged on the front line", to fight and work as a combat medic for ISIL in the Middle East.
Muhammad Masood, age 31, worked at a research clinic in Rochester, Minnesota, and had been in the U.S. since 2018. He was a doctor and held a medical license in Pakistan.
The man communicated a plan to reach Syria by flying from Chicago to Jordan in March 2020, but that never actually took place, because the country of Jordan announced closure of its borders in response to the coronavirus pandemic.
Mr. Masood purchased a ticket for a flight from Minnesota to Los Angeles, and on March 19, 2020, he was arrested by federal agents at Minneapolis-St. Paul Airport. A probable reason he wanted to go to Los Angeles was that many international flights leave from there, so he may have been trying to reach Syria, or perhaps go back to his home country of Pakistan. Authorities believe he may have been planning to board a cargo ship to reach Syria.
Mr. Masood's lawyer, Jordan Kushner, called the prison sentence "extremely harsh", especially given his client's history of mental illness.
The 18 year prison sentence will be followed by 5 years of supervised release.
Masood pled guilty to the criminal charge of "attempting to provide material support to a terrorist organization". The Judge was Paul A. Magnuson.
Muhammad Masood Sentenced to 18 Years for Trying to Join ISIS, Orlando Mayorquin, The New York Times, August 25, 2023
similar older stories:
Man sentenced to 15 years - accused of socks and rain ponchos to Terrorists (posted 30 Sep 2020 )
It does seem a little questionable since the "crime" amounted to communicating that he planned to do something. That thing being to fight on behalf of a group in another distant part of the world in another country.
Allegedly, in one communication, the man mused (it was not clear how seriously) about the possibility his role could be "lone wolf attacks" in the United States, but stated he believed he "belonged on the front line", to fight and work as a combat medic for ISIL in the Middle East.
Muhammad Masood, age 31, worked at a research clinic in Rochester, Minnesota, and had been in the U.S. since 2018. He was a doctor and held a medical license in Pakistan.
The man communicated a plan to reach Syria by flying from Chicago to Jordan in March 2020, but that never actually took place, because the country of Jordan announced closure of its borders in response to the coronavirus pandemic.
Mr. Masood purchased a ticket for a flight from Minnesota to Los Angeles, and on March 19, 2020, he was arrested by federal agents at Minneapolis-St. Paul Airport. A probable reason he wanted to go to Los Angeles was that many international flights leave from there, so he may have been trying to reach Syria, or perhaps go back to his home country of Pakistan. Authorities believe he may have been planning to board a cargo ship to reach Syria.
Mr. Masood's lawyer, Jordan Kushner, called the prison sentence "extremely harsh", especially given his client's history of mental illness.
The 18 year prison sentence will be followed by 5 years of supervised release.
Masood pled guilty to the criminal charge of "attempting to provide material support to a terrorist organization". The Judge was Paul A. Magnuson.
Muhammad Masood Sentenced to 18 Years for Trying to Join ISIS, Orlando Mayorquin, The New York Times, August 25, 2023
similar older stories:
Man sentenced to 15 years - accused of socks and rain ponchos to Terrorists (posted 30 Sep 2020 )
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