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US uses dormant court against Afghan woman charged in terror plot
AP News • • general
Key Points:
- Nazira Haji Zada, an Afghan woman accused of supporting an ISIS-inspired attack plot in the U.S., is the first person to face deportation through the rarely used Alien Terrorist Removal Court, which has been inactive for 30 years.
- The court, established in 1996, handles deportation of individuals classified as "alien terrorists" and is composed of five federal judges appointed by the Supreme Court chief justice.
- FBI documents allege Nazira supported a plot involving her son and son-in-law, both convicted for their roles in the 2024 Election Day attack plan, with her son sentenced to 15 years and her son-in-law pleading guilty to conspiring to support ISIS.
- The Justice Department filed the deportation petition this month, marking the first use of this court, with a hearing scheduled in Washington, D.C., on Thursday.
- Acting Attorney General Todd Blanche emphasized that the court's purpose is to remove alien terrorists and stated that terrorists have no place in the U.S., highlighting the seriousness of the allegations against Nazira and her family.
