Key facts
- The U.S. is using the Alien Terrorist Removal Court for the first time to deport Nazira Haji Zada.
- Haji Zada is accused of supporting an Islamic State-inspired plot.
- Her son and son-in-law were previously convicted for roles in a 2024 Election Day plot.
- The Alien Terrorist Removal Court was established in 1996 but had never been used until this month.
The U.S. government is utilizing the long-dormant Alien Terrorist Removal Court for the first time to pursue the deportation of Nazira Haji Zada, an Afghan woman accused of supporting an Islamic State-inspired plot. Court records filed Wednesday indicate a hearing is scheduled for Thursday in Washington, D.C., for the government's petition.
An FBI memo dated July 15 stated that information was developed suggesting Haji Zada is an Islamic State supporter who allegedly had her children pledge loyalty to the terrorist group. The memo further alleges she "supported" a plot by relatives to carry out an ISIS-inspired attack in the U.S. Court filings link Haji Zada to two Afghan men convicted in Oklahoma for their roles in a 2024 Election Day plot.
Her son, Abdullah Haji Zada, was sentenced in November to 15 years in prison and has agreed to be removed from the U.S. after his release. Her son-in-law, Nasir Ahmad Tawhedi, previously worked as a security guard at an American military installation in Afghanistan and pleaded guilty to conspiring to provide material support to the Islamic State group. Prosecutors stated Tawhedi took steps to advance his attack plans, including ordering AK-47 rifles and liquidating family assets.
The Alien Terrorist Removal Court was established in 1996 but had remained unused until the Justice Department filed its petition this month. Documents supporting the application were unsealed Wednesday ahead of the hearing. Acting Attorney General Todd Blanche stated that Congress created the court to remove "alien terrorists" and emphasized that the allegations show Haji Zada, as the matriarch of an ISIS-sympathizing family, aided in a plot for a mass casualty attack.