First Decision by US Anti-Terrorism Court: Afghan Woman Deported Linked to ISIS

The U.S. authorities deported an Afghan woman accused of involvement in a plot to carry out a mass shooting, to her home country.

This was done under a ruling by a U.S. special court for terrorism cases, the first judgment issued since its establishment, according to the U.S. Department of Justice on Friday.

The department stated in a statement that Noura Hajji Zadeh, 47, residing in Texas, was removed from the United States on August 25, based on a judicial order from the "Court of Foreign Terrorist Removal" in Washington.

The Congress established this court 30 years ago, but it had never been used before.

The Department of Justice clarified that Zadeh, who arrived in the United States in 2018, "admitted she is a foreign terrorist and waived her right to appeal the deportation decision."

Attorney General Todd Blanche said in a statement, "This high-profile case resulting in the immediate deportation of this foreign terrorist to her native country is a victory for national security and the rule of law."

He added: "This case, the first before the Court of Foreign Terrorist Removal, shows how the Department will use all available tools to protect our nation."

Abdullah Hajji Zadeh, the son of the deported Afghan woman, had previously pleaded guilty along with his accomplice Nasser Ahmed Al-Tawhiidi for planning an attack during the 2024 U.S. election campaign on behalf of the ISIS group.

Abdullah Hajji Zadeh, who was 17 at the time of his arrest, was sentenced to 15 years in prison in 2025, while Al-Tawhiidi is still awaiting sentencing.

According to court documents, the two purchased two AK-47 rifles and 500 rounds of ammunition from an FBI informant in an attempt to carry out a mass casualty attack.