WASHINGTON, United States — A Kenyan member of the Al-Shabaab militant group who received pilot training in the Philippines was sentenced to life in prison on Monday for conspiring to mount a 9/11-style attack in the United States. Abdullah was arrested in the Philippines in July 2019 and extradited to the United States. According to the indictment, Abdullah attended flight school in the Philippines between 2017 and 2019 and eventually obtained his pilot's license. While undergoing flight training, he allegedly conducted research into methods to hijack a commercial airliner and sought information on how to obtain a US visa. The Somalia-based Al-Shabaab was designated a "terrorist" movement by the United States in 2008.

Source: Philippine Star December 23, 2025 09:08 UTC