Pakistani doctor sentenced to 18-year jail time in US for support to ISIS

WASHINGTON: Mohammad Masood, a Pakistani physician, has been sentenced to 18 years in prison for his involvement in an attempt to provide material support to the militant Islamic State group.

The 31-year-old licensed medical doctor from Pakistan was formerly employed as a research coordinator at a clinic in Rochester, Minnesota.

Court records revealed that between January and March 2020, Masood utilized an encrypted messaging application to facilitate his overseas travel plans, aimed at joining a foreign terrorist organization.

The US Department of Justice issued a press release stating that Masood openly expressed his desire to join the militant Islamic State of Iraq and Al-Sham group, pledging allegiance to both the organization and its leader.

Furthermore, he indicated his intention to carry out “lone wolf” terrorist attacks within the United States.

According to documents presented in federal court, on February 21, 2020, Masood purchased a plane ticket from Chicago, Illinois to Amman, Jordan, intending to subsequently travel to Syria. However, due to the closure of Jordan’s borders amid the coronavirus pandemic, his travel plans were forced to change.

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Consequently, he rerouted his journey from Minneapolis, Minnesota to Los Angeles, where he planned to meet an individual who he believed would assist him in reaching the ISIS territory via a cargo ship.

On March 19 of the same year, Masood traveled from Rochester to Minneapolis-St. Paul International Airport (MSP) with the intention of boarding a flight bound for Los Angeles.

However, upon his arrival at MSP, he was apprehended by the FBI’s Joint Terrorism Task Force.

Masood entered a guilty plea on August 16, 2022, admitting to attempting to provide material support to a designated foreign terrorist organization.

His sentencing took place on August 25 before Senior Judge Paul A. Magnuson.