A 31-year-old Pakistani doctor, living in the US, was sentenced to 18 years in jail followed by five years of supervised release for attempting to provide material support to global terrorist organisation Da’ish. According to the US media, Dr Muhammad Masood, who worked at a research clinic in Rochester and arrested at an airport in March 2020, was convicted by a court in the state of Minnesota. Dr Masood pleaded guilty on August 16, 2022 to attempting to provide material support to Da’ish. A US Justice Department press release read that Dr Masood made multiple statements about his desire to join Da’ish. He also pledged his allegiance to the terrorist outfit and its leader. The doctor expressed his desire to conduct “lone wolf” terrorist attacks in the US. Giving details, the press release stated that on February 21, 2020, Dr Masood bought a plane ticket from Chicago, Illinois, to Amman, Jordan, and from there planned to travel to Syria. Read also: Over 12,000 Pakistanis in jails abroad, NA told On March 16, 2020, Dr Masood’s travel plans changed because Jordan closed its borders to incoming travel due to the coronavirus pandemic. Dr Masood then agreed to fly from Minneapolis to Los Angeles to meet up with an individual, who he believed would assist him with travel via cargo ship to deliver him to Da’ish territory. On March 19, 2020, Dr Masood travelled from Rochester to Minneapolis-St. Paul International Airport to board a flight bound for Los Angeles, California. Upon arrival at the airport, Dr Masood checked in for his flight and was subsequently arrested. Dr Masood had left for the US from Pakistan on an H-1B visa -- given to experts in their fields from across the world.