Afghan Refugee Arrested After Plotting Election Day Terrorist Attack, Formerly Worked For CIA
A man crosses the Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) seal in the lobby of CIA Headquarters in Langley, Virginia, on August 14, 2008. AFP PHOTO/SAUL LOEB (Photo by SAUL LOEB / AFP) (Photo by SAUL LOEB/AFP via Getty Images)
OAN Staff Blake Wolf 12:01 PM – Thursday, October 10, 2024
An Afghan man who reportedly worked for the Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) in Afghanistan was arrested in Oklahoma on Monday after purportedly planning a terrorist attack for November 5th, election day.
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The suspected terrorist, Nasir Ahmad Tawhedi, 27, has been accused of plotting to kill Americans on behalf of ISIS.
The court documents revealed that Tawhedi had contributed to a charity group that fronts for and funnels money to ISIS, and he was in possession of ISIS-related propaganda. However it was not revealed whether or not he was radicalized before or after entering the United States, sources told NBCNews.
Although the extent and length of his employment has not been revealed by the Department of Justice, Tawhedi worked as a security guard as the U.S. was pulling its troops out of Afghanistan, prior to his 2021 arrival into the United States.
“As part of the plot, the defendant allegedly took steps to liquidate his family’s assets, resettle members of his family overseas, acquire AK-47 assault rifles and ammunition, and commit a terrorist attack in the United States,” according to the DOJ.
Over 70,000 visas were handed out to Afghans by the Biden administration following the military pulling out of Afghanistan, which U.S. officials had maintained involved a ‘rigorous” screening process.
“Every Afghan resettled in the U.S. undergoes a rigorous screening and vetting process no matter which agency they worked with,” a U.S. official stated, according to NBC. “That process includes checking against a full range of U.S. records and holdings.”
A senior official claims that Tawhedi had passed multiple rounds of vetting, without authorities finding any concerning information.
The first screening took place prior to Tawhedi’s arrival in September of 2021, some 10 days after the withdrawal of U.S. troops in Afghanistan. An NBC source claims that the second screening took place while Tawhedi was living in Oklahoma City, and he was attempting to receive a Special Immigrant Visa.
A Justice Department document states that Tawhedi entered the country on a Special Immigrant Visa, however, two other anonymous U.S. officials who spoke to the press dispute that claim, maintaining that he instead “entered on humanitarian parole.” Humanitarian parole is distinctly different, generally undergoing far less screening than a Special Immigrant Visa.
The Department of Homeland Security, which is heavily involved in the vetting process, declined to comment on the case, opting to make a statement regarding their protocol.
“Afghan evacuees who sought to enter the United States were subject to multi layered screening and vetting against intelligence, law enforcement, and counterterrorism information. If new information emerges after arrival appropriate action is taken,” the DHS stated.
Additionally, court documents reveal that Tawhedi was planning his attack on election day, November 5th. Authorities also stated that Tawhedi’s plan included targeting large gatherings with his co-conspirator, another Afghan citizen with legal permanent resident status, who has also since been arrested.
The two were arrested after being lured in by an undercover FBI agent posing as a business partner. Tawhedi had been attempting to buy rifles, ammunition, and magazines in preparation for the attack.
“We will begin our duty, God willing, with the help of God, we will get ready for election day,” Tawhedi reportedly wrote on Telegram prior to his arrest.
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