US President Donald Trump thanked Pakistan for helping in the arrest of the terrorist behind the fatal suicide bombing that attacked US soldiers during the Afghanistan withdrawal.
Speaking before a joint session of Congress on Tuesday, Trump declared, "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."
He credited the Pakistani government for its role in securing the arrest of the "monster" behind the attack.
The suspect is said to be Mohammad Sharifullah, according to US officials and media reports.
Sharifullah is believed to have organized the deadly 2021 Kabul airport suicide bombing that killed 13 American servicemen and some 170 Afghan civilians.
FBI Director Kash Patel announced the news on X, posting, "I can say tonight the FBI, DOJ (Department of Justice), and CIA (Central Intelligence Agency) extradited one of the terrorists who carried out the murder of the 13 American servicemen at Abbey Gate during the catastrophic Afghanistan retreat."
He also said, "One step closer to justice for these American heroes and their families."
While giving his address, Trump lauded Patel for remaking the FBI and separating it from what he called political weaponization against himself and his associates. Patel and Attorney General Pam Bondi—also praised by Trump—both got prolonged applause from members of Congress.
Trump took the opportunity to attack former President Joe Biden for what he described as a chaotic Afghanistan pullout, claiming that the mayhem encouraged Russian President Vladimir Putin to invade Ukraine.
"When Putin saw what occurred, I guess he said, 'Well, maybe this is my chance.' That's how bad it was," Trump said.
Quoting government officials, Axios had reported earlier that the CIA was monitoring Sharifullah and was sharing its information on where he was located with Pakistan. Acting on its tip, the elite Pakistani police force arrested him near the Afghan-Pakistan frontier.
Pakistan told the US a week ago, it is alleged, that Patel and CIA head John Ratcliffe met with officials from Pakistani intelligence on the matter afterward.
US officials see Sharifullah's capture as a possible sign of Pakistan's willingness to re-engage with the Trump administration. US-Pakistan relations had cooled under Biden, with Washington seeing Islamabad as hesitant in counterterrorism.
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