ISLAMABAD: A 31-year-old licensed Pakistani doctor named Muhammad Masood, who resided in the United States under a work visa, has been sentenced to 18 years in prison. His conviction stems from his attempt to furnish material support to the terrorist organization Daesh.
A press release issued by the US Department of Justice stated:
“A Rochester man was sentenced today to 216 months in prison, equivalent to 18 years, followed by five years of supervised release for attempting to provide material support to a foreign terrorist organization.”
Court documents revealed Masood’s prior role as a research coordinator at a medical clinic in Rochester, Minnesota, held under an H-1B visa.
The official statement outlines Masood’s activities, covering the period from January 2020 to March 2020. These activities highlight his attempts to align with a militant organization and offer material support in the planning and execution of terrorist acts within the United States.
The statement further added, “Between January 2020 and March 2020, Masood used an encrypted messaging application to facilitate his travel overseas to join a terrorist organization.”
Furthermore, the statement indicated that the Pakistani man expressed his desire to join Daesh through multiple statements. He also vowed allegiance to both the designated terrorist organization and its leader.
“Masood also expressed his desire to conduct ‘lone wolf’ terrorist attacks in the United States.”
Pakistani Doctor’s Terror Travel Plot: Timeline and Sentencing
On February 21, 2020, he purchased a plane ticket from Chicago, Illinois, to Amman, Jordan, intending to journey to Syria from that point.
However, his travel plans shifted on March 16, 2020, due to Jordan’s border closure resulting from coronavirus travel restrictions.
Subsequently, he opted to fly from Minneapolis to Los Angeles, where he anticipated meeting an individual who he believed would assist him in using a cargo ship to reach the territory claimed by Daesh.
On March 19, 2020, Masood made his way from Rochester to Minneapolis-St. Paul International Airport (MSP) to catch a flight bound for Los Angeles, California.
Nevertheless, upon his arrival at the airport, the Federal Bureau of Investigation’s Joint Terrorism Task Force (JTTF) apprehended him.
Last year, on August 16, Masood pleaded guilty to attempting to provide material support to Daesh.
Senior Judge Paul A. Magnuson sentenced him to 18 years in prison on Friday, following the FBI JTTF’s completion of investigations.
