Kabul airport bombing trial: Defence says Mohammad Sharifullah falsely confessed

A defence lawyer told jurors in Virginia that Mohammad Sharifullah, accused of helping plan the 2021 Kabul airport attack at Abbey Gate, falsely confessed during lengthy FBI questioning. Prosecutors, she argued, offered no evidence beyond his statements. Jurors began deliberations after closing arguments in the federal trial.

A defence lawyer told a Virginia jury that Mohammad Sharifullah falsely admitted helping plan the 2021 Kabul airport bombing. Jurors began deliberations on Tuesday after closing arguments. The blast at Abbey Gate on Aug 26, 2021, killed about 160 Afghans and 13 US service members. Sharifullah did not testify during the weeklong trial.

Sharifullah is charged with providing material support to a designated foreign terrorist organisation resulting in death. A conviction could bring a maximum sentence of life in prison. President Donald Trump highlighted Sharifullah’s capture during a joint session of Congress last year. The case centres on what Sharifullah told FBI agents during long questioning.

Kabul airport bombing trial focuses on FBI confession

Defence attorney Lauren Rosen said prosecutors offered no proof connecting Sharifullah to the bombing beyond the interrogation statements. Rosen argued Sharifullah invented details, including scouting a route for the bomber. Rosen said Sharifullah may have tried to satisfy agents while fearing torture in Pakistani custody. Rosen also questioned Sharifullah’s knowledge of events.

"The problem was, he didnt know much about what actually happened that day,\" Rosen told jurors. \"The government has told you nothing about how this attack actually happened.\"

Kabul airport bombing case features prosecution claims about ISIS-K

Justice Department prosecutor Ryan White said Sharifullah had a key role in planning the Abbey Gate attack. White also linked Sharifullah to other operations by ISIS-K. White cited the March 2024 Moscow concert hall attack, which killed roughly 140 people. Prosecutors said the Kabul bomber used an improvised explosive device near the gate.

\"The defendant thought nothing of killing,\" White said. \"For him, it was just another day at the office.\"

White said Sharifullah told a journalist about wanting to catch and kill US \"crusaders\". White linked this to anger over the US invasion after the Sept 11, 2001 attacks. White urged jurors to rely on Sharifullah’s own accounts. White argued the evidence did not require complex interpretation. Prosecutors framed the statements as direct admissions of involvement.

\"This case is not complicated,\" White said. \"The defendant told you everything you need to know.\"

Kabul airport bombing defence disputes responsibility for Abbey Gate

Rosen said US officials accepted ISIS claims without enough scrutiny when the group took responsibility. Rosen suggested a Taliban offshoot controlled Abbey Gate and may have played a part. Rosen urged jurors to avoid guessing about who planned the bombing. Rosen said the prosecution asked the jury to fill gaps with assumptions. Rosen challenged the reliability of the overall narrative.

\"You cant base your verdict on mere conjecture and speculation,\" Rosen said. \"Thats what the prosecution is asking you to do.\"

A US Central Command review identified the Abbey Gate bomber as Abdul Rahman al-Logari. The review said al-Logari was an Islamic State militant freed from an Afghan prison by the Taliban. An FBI affidavit said Sharifullah recognised the suspected bomber from time in prison. The affidavit described the alleged prior connection as part of the case record.

A former Marine told Congress that snipers noticed two possible suspects acting oddly that morning. The Marine said the group did not receive approval to act. The Central Command review later found the snipers did not see the actual bomber. The review also concluded the bombing could not have been stopped. These findings were used to address questions about preventability.

The case also drew attention due to staffing changes at the Justice Department. A prosecutor on the Abbey Gate case, Michael BenArys, was fired last year. A right-wing commentator had criticised BenArys over work during Joe Biden’s administration. The ouster was described as part of a wider purge of veterans seen as not loyal to Trump.

During the latest presidential campaign, Trump repeatedly attacked Biden over the Afghanistan withdrawal. Trump also blamed Biden for the Abbey Gate deaths. In court, jurors were left to weigh whether Sharifullah’s statements were truthful or made under pressure. The verdict will decide whether Sharifullah faces life in prison for the Kabul airport bombing charge.

With inputs from PTI