The national security team of President Trump has released photographs of the ISIS-K terrorism suspect identified as playing a crucial role in the Abbey Gate bombing, resulting in the deaths of 13 Americans amid the Afghanistan evacuation.
In an uncommon move, FBI Director Kash Patel shared a picture showing Mohammad Sharifullah escorted by two FBI officials in masks, after Pakistani authorities handed him over to the U.S. following pressure to locate him.
Attorney General Pam Bondi also released images of the occasion, one of which depicts her and Patel welcoming Sharifullah, also known as Jafar, upon his arrival at Joint Base Andrews.
She also attached an interior shot of an airplane, where Director of Intelligence Tulsi Gabbard, CIA Director John Ratcliffe, Patel, and Bondi speak to FBI officials.
‘Mohammad Sharifullah, alleged co-conspirator in the murder of American soldiers at Abbey Gate in Afghanistan, apprehended and extradited last night — wheels down to face American justice,’ wrote Patel, after publishing other images from Dulles airfield.
Patel thanked partners in the effort, including Ratcliffe and Bondi, adding: ‘3 and 1/2 years later, justice for our 13.’
In another post, he attached an image of himself and Bondi watching the transfer, adding: ‘That time you delivered the sword of justice for the American people- thank you for your incredible leadership @AGPamBondi and @JohnRatcliffe. So proud of the men and women of the FBI, DOJ, and CIA. Justice for Abby Gate- terrorist Jafar officially in US custody.’
He was quoting Trump’s speech to Congress.
‘A top terrorist involved in murdering our 13 American soldiers in the botched Afghanistan withdrawal is now officially on U.S. soil. Under President Trump’s leadership, we will never forget the 13 American Heroes at Abbey Gate,’ wrote Bondi.
The move surprised a former Biden administration official.
‘Not aware of any instance in which the head of DOJ or the head of the FBI would go greet a terrorist at an airport – never heard of that before,’ the official told DailyMail.com.
Ratcliffe went on Fox News to trumpet the development, which Trump announced during his prime-time speech to Congress before his national security team went out to mark the achievement.
‘The president had a to-do list. We are working at warp speed.’ He said one of the first things Trump told him was to ‘make this a priority’ and ‘find the people responsible,’ Ratcliffe told Fox News.
‘My second day on the job … I spoke with the head of Pakistani intelligence’ and shared intelligence.
He described the nature of the pressure this way: ‘I told him if he wanted to work with President Trump and have good relations with our country that they would make this a high priority,’ Ratcliffe said.
Amid the celebrations, the exact role that Jafar played in the bombing is getting multiple interpretations.
‘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 Tuesday night.
Bondi’s post on X also called him a ‘top terrorist.’
‘This evil ISIS-K terrorist orchestrated the brutal murder of 13 heroic Marines,’ Bondi said in a DOJ release.
But in a Tuesday night post, Patel called him ‘one of the terrorists responsible for the murder of the 13 American soldiers at Abbey Gate during the disastrous Afghanistan withdrawal,’ indicating a lesser, though substantial, role.
An FBI affidavit released Wednesday said Jafar ‘conducted surveillance so that he could prepare the suicide bomber and transport him to the target area.’ It says he ‘transported the bomber.’
He got a motorbike, funds, and a cell phone from ISIS-K. ‘After making these preparations for the attack, Sharifullah was tasked with scouting a route near HKIA for an attacker. Sharifullah conducted surveillance on a route, specifically checking for law enforcement and American or Taliban checkpoints,’ it said.
‘Sharifullah communicated to other ISIS-K members that he believed the route was clear and that he did not think the attacker would be detected while proceeding through that route. ISIS-K members then instructed Sharifullah to leave the area of [Hamid Karzai airport]. Later that same day, Sharifullah learned of the attack at HKIA described above and recognized the alleged bomber as an ISIS-K operative he had known while incarcerated,’ according to the affidavit.
It also connects him to the horrific Crocus City Hall attack in Moscow in 2024. ‘Sharifullah received an order from a known ISIS-K senior leader to provide instructions on how to properly use AK-style rifles and other weapons to would-be attackers in Moscow,’ it said.
The former Biden official said Jafar ‘was a senior ISIS-K terrorist and plotter and someone we wanted to apprehend.’ The administration had set up a joint communications structure with Pakistani intelligence,’ the official said. ‘He is someone we wanted for years and were working with the Pakistanis on.’
U.S. officials said the Taliban in Afghanistan killed the mastermind of the operation in 2023.
Jafar provided the information to authorities ‘in an interview with FBI Special Agents after waiving his Miranda rights on or about March 2, 2025’ – indicating he waived his right to an attorney when describing his terrorist involvement.
His public defender declined to comment after his appearance in court today. he is charged with providing material support to a foreign terrorist organization, resulting in death.
