Masoud Khan of Gaithersburg, Maryland was released from prison on August 1, 2018, after federal Judge Leonie Brinkema vacated or cancelled his convictions carrying life sentences.
Earlier this year, the Supreme Court ruled that the definition of a “crime of violence” was unconstitutionally vague, so Brinkema applied that ruling to Khan’s charges. Originally sentenced to life in prison in the infamous “Paintball Jihad” trials of 2003-2004 where a group of mostly DMV youth were accused by the United States of playing paintball in preparation to join a group fighting the Indian occupation of Kashmir, Khan served about 14 years before his release last week.
Brinkema applied the same logic to Khan’s co-defendant Seifullah Chapman, who was released several weeks ago. Muslims around the world are hopeful Brinkema rules similarly in the case of Dr. Ali Al-Timimi, who is serving life in prison for what the government alleges was his “inspiring” the young men to attempt to fight jihad in Kashmir.
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