Life Sentence Upheld for Times Square Bomber: Appeals Court Reverses ISIS Support Conviction
A Bangladeshi immigrant has been sentenced to life in prison for a failed subway bombing in Times Square in 2017, according to a federal appeals panel. The court reversed his conviction for providing material support to the Islamic State extremist group, stating that he acted alone and was not under the group's control. The appeals court upheld other charges that led to his life sentence.
Akayed Ullah's planned suicide attack using an explosive attached to his chest failed when the device barely exploded. The court found that Ullah's self-identification as a soldier of ISIS did not mean he was directed by the group. Despite evidence of his statement to investigators, two of the three judges on the panel concluded that he acted independently of the Islamic State group.
At his sentencing in April 2021, Ullah expressed remorse for his actions and requested leniency. However, Judge Richard J. Sullivan deemed a life sentence appropriate, calling the crime barbaric and heinous. The attack in Times Square left Ullah injured but spared nearby pedestrians from more serious harm.
Following Ullah's bombing attempt, President Donald Trump criticized the immigration system that allowed him to enter the U.S. The 2nd Circuit ruling on Ullah's case comes in the wake of two teenagers being charged with attempting to provide material support to a foreign terrorist organization for bringing explosives to an event in New York City. The homemade devices did not detonate, and the men were allegedly inspired by the Islamic State group.
In conclusion, the federal appeals panel upheld Akayed Ullah's life sentence for the failed subway bombing in Times Square, while reversing his conviction for providing material support to the Islamic State. The court determined that Ullah acted independently and was not under the control of the terror group.