# Sentencing of individuals for ISIS-related attacks

> Developing situation record from CLSTR: https://clstr.news/situations/sentencing-of-individuals-for-isis-related-attacks
> Updated: 2026-10-29T19:19:36.000Z. Sources: 9. Developments: 2.

Legal proceedings have concluded for two separate individuals involved in violent attacks linked to the Islamic State. 

In the United States, Canadian national Abdulrahman El Bahnasawy received an additional 50 years in federal prison for a 2020 assault on correctional officers at the U.S. Penitentiary Allenwood in Pennsylvania. This term follows a previous 40 year sentence for a 2016 conspiracy to attack New York City. During the 2020 incident, El Bahnasawy used a makeshift weapon to stab two officers, causing one to lose an eye. Investigators found a note in his cell claiming the violence was an attack for ISIS.

In Canada, Abdul Aziz Kawam was sentenced to 16 years and eight months for a 2023 knife attack on a transit bus in Surrey, British Columbia. The attack, which involved slashing a passenger in the throat, was determined by prosecutors to have been carried out to advance the objectives of the Islamic State. The court ordered the sentences for attempted murder and aggravated assault to be served consecutively.

## Claims

- Abdul Aziz Kawam was sentenced to 16 years and eight months in prison. (reported by 4 sources)
- The attack occurred on April 1, 2023, in Surrey, British Columbia. (reported by 4 sources)
- The court determined the attack was carried out to advance the objectives of the Islamic State. (reported by 3 sources)
- Kawam was convicted in June 2025. (reported by 3 sources)
- The victim on the bus survived the attack despite suffering vocal cord damage. (reported by 2 sources)
- George Dolhai stated the slashing was a deliberate attack meant to cause suspicion and fear in public spaces. (reported by 2 sources)
- Kawam attacked a man at a bus stop near Fraser Highway and 156th Street before boarding the bus. (reported by 1 source)

## Timeline

### 2026-10-29: Abdul Aziz Kawam sentenced to 16 years for Surrey bus attack

Abdul Aziz Kawam received a 16-year, 8-month prison sentence for a 2023 terrorist knife attack on a Surrey, B.C. transit bus intended to advance Islamic State objectives.

9 sources. https://clstr.news/cluster/abdul-aziz-kawam-sentenced-to-16-years-for-surrey-bus-attack

### 2026-10-20: Abdulrahman El Bahnasawy sentenced to 50 additional years in prison

Canadian national Abdulrahman El Bahnasawy received an additional 50 years in prison for stabbing two officers in a Pennsylvania penitentiary, bringing his total sentence to 90 years.

2 sources. https://clstr.news/cluster/abdulrahman-el-bahnasawy-sentenced-to-50-additional-years-in-prison

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Cite as: Sentencing of individuals for ISIS-related attacks. CLSTR, https://clstr.news/situations/sentencing-of-individuals-for-isis-related-attacks