Minh Quang Pham, a UK citizen and member of al-Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula (AQAP), has been sentenced to 44 years in prison for plotting a suicide bombing at London’s Heathrow Airport in 2011. The sentence was issued by Judge Richard Berman of the US District Court for the Southern District of New York on Tuesday.
Pham, also known by the alias “Amim,” traveled to Yemen in 2010 to join AQAP, where he received training in jihadist tactics. In 2011, Pham, in collaboration with AQAP leader Anwar al-Aulaqi, planned a bombing targeting passengers arriving from the United States and Israel at Heathrow Airport. However, Pham was apprehended upon his return to the UK, where authorities found weapons and explosives in his possession.
Although Pham is a UK national, he was extradited to the US in 2015 and charged with terrorism-related offenses, including using firearms to commit violence. He initially pleaded guilty in 2016 and was sentenced to 40 years, a ruling later upheld by the US Court of Appeals. His conviction was vacated following a Supreme Court ruling, but in 2021, a grand jury reinstated the charges, resulting in his conviction in May 2023.
US Attorney Danielle Sassoon stated, “Minh Quang Pham’s actions were an affront to the safety of this country and to the principles of peace and security that we hold dear.” The sentencing reinforces the commitment to preventing terrorism and holding offenders accountable before they can cause harm.
