Washington, Dec 26 (NationPress) A federal appeals court in the United States has reaffirmed the conviction of Umar Farooq Chaudhry, a dual citizen of the US and Pakistan, who was accused of attempting to join violent jihad abroad.

The Fourth Circuit Court of Appeals dismissed Chaudhry's assertion that his right to a speedy trial was violated by the US government.

The court determined that the significant delay in his trial did not infringe upon the Sixth Amendment.

Chaudhry had traveled from the US to Pakistan back in 2009, as part of a group that sought to reach Afghanistan to engage in jihad against US and allied forces, as per court documentation.

Pakistani authorities detained the group in December 2009, and Chaudhry was subsequently convicted in Pakistan on charges related to terrorism.

He received a 10-year prison sentence and completed his term in Pakistan.

Following his release, Chaudhry was extradited back to the US in December 2023 to confront similar allegations.

Once back in US custody, he attempted to dismiss the indictment, arguing that the government had delayed too long in bringing him to trial.

A federal district court in Virginia rejected his claims. Chaudhry later entered a conditional guilty plea while retaining his right to appeal the speedy trial matter.

Although the appeals court acknowledged that the delay was considerable and “presumptively prejudicial,” it concluded that other legal factors did not support Chaudhry's position.

The court noted that the US government had justifiable reasons for the delay, referencing the extradition treaty between the US and Pakistan.

According to this treaty, extradition cannot occur while an individual is undergoing trial or serving a sentence in Pakistan.

The judges also pointed out the history of unsuccessful or postponed US extradition requests to Pakistan, indicating that an earlier request would likely have been ineffective.

Despite this, US officials persistently worked to ensure Chaudhry's return, which included criminal complaints, arrest warrants, diplomatic outreach, and Interpol notices.

The judges described these efforts as “reasonably diligent” and made with good intentions.

Chaudhry’s resistance to extradition after his release in 2020 was also criticized by the court, noting that he spent nearly three years contesting extradition in Pakistani courts, suggesting he did not truly seek a speedy trial.

Regarding any harm, the court found no actual prejudice against him.

Chaudhry claimed that the delay hindered his defense and subjected him to difficult prison conditions in Pakistan, but the court dismissed these claims, stating that the prison conditions were not a result of US government actions.

He also did not effectively demonstrate how the delay had impaired his defense.

Ultimately, Chaudhry pleaded guilty to conspiracy to provide material support to the designated group Jaish-e-Mohammed.

Under the terms of his plea agreement, prosecutors advised a sentence of time served along with 20 years of supervised release, which the district court accepted.

The appeals court, in its final decision, stated that the delay alone was insufficient to overturn the conviction. Since the other legal factors were unfavorable to Chaudhry, the court upheld the conviction.