Update: An Afghan national inspired by ISIS who was arrested Monday for plotting a terrorist attack against large crowds on Election Day had previously worked for the CIA.
Nasir Ahmad Tawhedi, 27, who was arrested by the FBI in Oklahoma over the alleged terror plot, was employed as a security guard for the agency but was not a CIA informant, NBC News reported, citing multiple sources.
NEW: An Afghan man arrested on charges of planning a terrorist attack on Election Day worked as a security guard in Afghanistan for the CIA, two sources with knowledge of the matter tell NBC News. https://t.co/KrhQJQSiyz
— NBC News (@NBCNews) October 10, 2024
It wasn’t immediately clear when or how long Tawhedi worked security before he came to the US in 2021 on a special immigrant visa.
Special immigrant visas are given to Afghans who worked with the U.S. in Afghanistan after they pass DHS screening.
Notably, special immigrant visas were granted to over 70,000 Afghans by the Harris-Biden administration after the US pullout from Afghanistan.
“Every Afghan resettled in the U.S. undergoes a rigorous screening and vetting process no matter which agency they worked with,” an official told NBC.
“That process includes checking against a full range of US records and holdings.”
Tawhedi was still on parole status pending the conclusion of his immigration proceedings when the feds arrested him.
Tawhedi allegedly told investigators his attack was planned for Election Day targeting large gatherings of people, during which he and the juvenile were expected to die as martyrs.
Original story below:
An Afghan national inspired by ISIS was arrested by the FBI on Monday for plotting a terrorist attack against large crowds on Election Day.
27-year-old Nasir Ahmad Tawhedi, who arrived in the US in 2021 on a special immigrant visa, was living in Oklahoma and was arrested by the FBI after he purchased rifles and ammunition from an undercover law enforcement officer.
According to the Justice Department press release, “Tawhedi allegedly indicated that his attack was planned for Election Day, and in a post-arrest interview, Tawhedi allegedly confirmed the attack was planned for Election Day targeting large gatherings of people, during which he and the juvenile were expected to die as martyrs.”
“As charged, the Justice Department foiled the defendant’s plot to acquire semi-automatic weapons and commit a violent attack in the name of ISIS on U.S. soil on Election Day,” Attorney General Merrick B. Garland said in a statement.
“We will continue to combat the ongoing threat that ISIS and its supporters pose to America’s national security, and we will identify, investigate, and prosecute the individuals who seek to terrorize the American people. I am deeply grateful to the public servants of the FBI, National Security Division, and U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Western District of Oklahoma for their work to disrupt this attack and for the work they do every day to protect our country.”
FBI Director Christopher Wray also praised the bureau for foiling the suspected terror attack.
“This defendant, motivated by ISIS, allegedly conspired to commit a violent attack, on Election Day, here on our homeland,” Wray said. “I am proud of the men and women of the FBI who uncovered and stopped the plot before anyone was harmed. Terrorism is still the FBI’s number one priority, and we will use every resource to protect the American people.”
Tawhedi is facing several charges, including conspiring and attempting to provide material support to ISIS. He faces a maximum sentence of 35 years if convicted.
The criminal complaint revealed that Tawhedi had a “co-conspirator,” an unnamed juvenile who is also a citizen of Afghanistan and earlier obtained legal permanent resident status in the United States.
The co-conspirator lives with his father, mother and five siblings in a single-family home in Moore, Okla., and entered the United States on March 27, 2018, with a special immigrant visa.
His 24-year-old sister is married to Tawhedi, who listed her family’s home and household goods for sale on Oct. 15 for $185,000.
“Federal prosecutors said Tawhedi used the Telegram messaging smartphone application to communicate with ISIS militants and his co-conspirator and said he obtained two AK-47 rifles for $1,200 each and ordered 500 rounds of ammunition,” UPI reported.
According to court doucments, one Telegram message read, “Brother, our house was sold today. We’ll receive money by the 15th of October, next month. After that we will begin our duty, God willing, with the help of God, we will get ready for the election day.”
Federal prosecutors also allege Tawhedi used his Google account to search for information on how to access cameras in Washington, D.C., and visit webcams at the White House and Washington Monument.
“Tawhedi was also seen in a video recorded on July 20 reading to two children text that describes the rewards a martyr receives in the afterlife,” the Justice Department said. “Tawhedi also allegedly accessed, viewed, and saved ISIS propaganda on his iCloud and Google account, participated in pro-ISIS Telegram groups, and contributed to a charity which fronts for and funnels money to ISIS.”
Tawhedi’s ability to enter the US under a special immigrant visa, typically granted to Afghans who assisted US forces during the war, raises more questions over the vetting process for such visas.