Thu Oct 17 23:04:52 UTC 2024: ## Afghan Man Arrested for Election Day Terror Plot Worked as CIA Security Guard
**Oklahoma City, OK** – An Afghan man, identified as Nasir Ahmad Tawhedi, 27, has been arrested for allegedly planning a terrorist attack on Election Day in the United States. Tawhedi, who worked as a security guard for the CIA in Afghanistan, was accused of plotting to kill Americans using an assault rifle on behalf of ISIS.
Court documents revealed that Tawhedi had donated to an ISIS charity and accessed online ISIS propaganda, but it remains unclear whether his radicalization occurred before or after he arrived in the U.S. in 2021.
A senior administration official stated that counterterrorism officials believe Tawhedi became radicalized during his three years in the U.S., while a senior law enforcement official indicated the FBI is still investigating this aspect.
Tawhedi entered the U.S. in September 2021, about a month after the chaotic U.S. withdrawal from Afghanistan. He passed two rounds of vetting, including a humanitarian parole screening and a Special Immigrant Visa application. While he was approved for the visa, he hadn’t completed the final steps to make it official.
Despite the rigorous vetting process, which included searches of electronic devices and extensive databases, Tawhedi was able to pass the initial screening. However, the Justice Department charging document incorrectly claimed he entered the U.S. on a Special Immigrant Visa, which generally involves stricter screening than humanitarian parole.
The case has sparked criticism from some members of Congress and officials who raised concerns about the thoroughness of vetting processes for Afghans evacuated during the withdrawal. A report by the DHS inspector general stated that the agency lacked critical data during the screening process.
Donald Trump Jr. and Oklahoma’s Republican Attorney General have condemned the Biden administration’s refugee resettlement program, claiming it imported a terrorist into the U.S. However, the administration points out that Tawhedi’s alleged co-conspirator, a juvenile with legal permanent resident status, entered the country in 2018 during the Trump administration and also passed vetting procedures.
Tawhedi is accused of planning the attack with a juvenile co-conspirator, targeting large gatherings and intending to die a martyr. They were apprehended after attempting to purchase weapons from undercover FBI agents.
The investigation into Tawhedi’s radicalization and the efficacy of the vetting process for Afghan refugees continues.
First Piper 