Pakistani doctor sentenced to 18 years jail in US for helping IS
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Mohammad Masood, 31, was sentenced on Friday, according to the court documents
(Web Desk) – The United States authorities sentenced a Pakistani doctor to 18 years in prison for his alleged support to the militant Islamic State group, also known as Arabic acronym Daesh.
Mohammad Masood, 31, was sentenced on Friday, according to the court documents.
Masood, a licensed medical doctor in Pakistan, was formerly employed as a research coordinator at a clinic in Rochester, Minnesota.
According to court documents, between January and March 2020, he used an encrypted messaging application to facilitate his travel overseas to join a terrorist organisation.
A US Justice Department press release said he made multiple statements about his desire to join the IS group, and he pledged his allegiance to the outfit and its leader. He also expressed his desire to conduct “lone wolf” terrorist attacks in the United States.
According to the documents submitted in a federal court, Dr Masood on Feb 21, 2020, purchased a ticket from Chicago, Illinois, to Amman, Jordan, and from there planned to travel to Syria. On March 16, 2020, his travel plans changed because Jordan closed its borders for incoming travellers due to the coronavirus pandemic.
He then decided to fly from Minneapolis to Los Angeles to meet with an individual who he believed would assist him with travel via a cargo ship to the IS territory.
On March 19, that year he travelled from Rochester to Minn¬eapolis to board a Los Angeles flight. He was arrested by an FBI’s Joint Terrorism Task Force on arrival at Los Angeles airport.
Dr Masood pleaded guilty on Aug 16, 2022, to attempting to provide material support to the outfit. He was sentenced on Aug 25 before Senior Judge Paul A. Magnuson.
