Pakistani Doctor Pleads Guilty to Terror Charge in Minnesota

Pakistani Doctor Pleads Guilty to Terror Charge in Minnesota
Muhammad Masood in a booking photo. Sherburne County Sheriff via AP
The Associated Press
Updated:
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ST. PAUL, Minn.—A Pakistani doctor and former Mayo Clinic research coordinator pleaded guilty to a terrorism charge, more than two years after he was arrested for telling paid FBI informants that he pledged his allegiance to the ISIS terrorist group and that he wanted to carry out lone wolf attacks in the United States.

According to online court records, Muhammad Masood pleaded guilty Tuesday to one count of attempting to provide material support to a foreign terrorist organization. A sentencing date has not been set.

Prosecutors say Masood was in the United States on a work visa. They alleged that starting in January of 2020, Masood made several statements to paid informants—whom he believed were members of ISIS—pledging his allegiance to the group and its leader.

Prosecutors said Masood expressed his desire to travel to Syria to fight for ISIS and a desire to carry out lone wolf attacks in the United States.

The Mayo Clinic has previously confirmed that Masood was a former employee at the medical center in Rochester, Minnesota, but was not employed by the clinic at the time of his arrest.