- Pakistani doctor in the US sentenced to 18 years for supporting Da’ish.
- Dr. Muhammad Masood pled guilty to attempting to aid the terrorist group.
- Travel plans disrupted by pandemic; arrested while trying to meet contact for assistance.
A Pakistani doctor residing in the US has been sentenced to 18 years in prison, followed by five years of supervised release, for his attempt to provide material support to the global terrorist organization Da’ish. Dr. Muhammad Masood, employed at a research clinic in Rochester, was apprehended in March 2020 and subsequently convicted in Minnesota.
Dr. Masood, who pleaded guilty in August 2022, had expressed his desire to join Da’ish, pledged allegiance to the group and its leader, and even planned “lone wolf” attacks within the US. Originally planning to travel to Syria via Jordan, his travel plans were disrupted due to the pandemic. He later attempted to meet an individual in Los Angeles to aid in his journey to Da’ish territory but was arrested upon arrival at the airport.
The doctor, who had entered the US from Pakistan on an H-1B visa, was convicted of attempting to support a terrorist organization, underscoring the gravity of such actions on US soil.