Terrorist behind Kabul airport bombing arrested, says Trump

The ISIS terrorist responsible for the killing of 13 American service members at Kabul airport during the withdrawal process in August 2021 has been arrested and is being brought back to the US for trial, President Donald Trump said Tuesday.

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“Three-and-a-half years ago, ISIS terrorists killed 13 American service members and countless others in the Abbey Gate bombing during the disastrous and incompetent withdrawal from Afghanistan,” Trump said in his address to the Joint Session of the US Congress.

“Not that they were withdrawing, it was the way they withdrew. Perhaps the most embarrassing moment in the history of our country,” he said as he revealed the arrest of the terrorist.

“Tonight, I am pleased to announce that we have just apprehended the top terrorist responsible for that atrocity and he is right now on his way here to face the swift sword of American justice,” Trump said amidst applause from the members of the US Congress.

The President thanked Pakistan for this. “I want to thank especially the government of Pakistan for helping arrest this monster. This was a very momentous day for those 13 families, who I actually got to know very well, most of them, whose children were murdered and …over 42 people so badly injured on that fateful day in Afghanistan,” Trump said.

“As President Trump just announced, I can report that tonight the FBI, DOJ, and CIA have extradited one of the terrorists responsible for the murder of the 13 American soldiers at Abbey Gate during the disastrous Afghanistan withdrawal. One step closer to justice for these American heroes and their families,” FBI Director Kash Patel said in a post on X.

According to CNN, Mohammad Sharifullah, who was allegedly involved in the planning of the bombing during the US withdrawal from Afghanistan in August 2021, is being moved to the US and charged with providing and conspiring to provide material support for terrorism.

Pakistan acted on CIA intelligence that led to the arrest of Sharifullah, according to another source familiar with the matter, CNN reported, adding that the new CIA Director, John Ratcliffe, raised the issue during his first phone call with the Pakistani intel chief, which took place during his first few days on the job.