Minh Quang Pham Sentenced to 44 Years for Heathrow Terror Plot

Minh Quang Pham, a 41-year-old Vietnamese national, was sentenced to 44 years in prison for plotting a suicide bombing at London's Heathrow Airport in 2011 on behalf of al-Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula (AQAP). Pham traveled to Yemen in December 2010, where he received military training and swore allegiance to AQAP, working on the group's propaganda magazine, Inspire. His plans, which aimed to target arrivals from the U.S. and Israel, were thwarted when he was detained by UK authorities in 2011, leading to his extradition to the U.S. in 2015. U.S. Attorney Danielle R. Sassoon emphasized that Pham's actions represented a serious threat to both U.S. safety and global security. The sentencing reflects ongoing efforts to prevent terrorism and hold accountable those who engage with terrorist organizations. Pham had previously pleaded guilty to charges including providing material support to AQAP.