House Homeland Security Committee Chairman Mark Green sent a letter on Thursday to the Department of Homeland Security and the FBI inquiring about the recent arrests of two Afghan nationals allegedly planning an Election Day terror attack. This follows a report from Just the News detailing the arrests and charges against the suspects.
Nasir Ahmad Tawhedi, 27, one of the individuals involved, was arrested by the FBI earlier this week and charged with conspiring and attempting to provide material support to ISIS, according to the Department of Justice. The charges stem from Tawhedi’s alleged plan to execute an ISIS-inspired attack on Election Day.
According to Just the News, Tawhedi entered the United States on a Special Immigrant Visa (SIV) during Operation Allies Refuge, a program that helped evacuate Afghans following the U.S. military withdrawal from Afghanistan in 2021. A senior U.S. official, speaking anonymously, confirmed that Tawhedi was granted special parole under this program. The unsealed criminal complaint verifies that he had indeed received an SIV upon entering the country on September 9, 2021.
Chairman Green, in his letter, expressed deep concern about the incident, writing: “The Committee is seeking information about the recently reported arrests of two Afghan nationals living in Oklahoma City, who allegedly plotted an ISIS-inspired terrorist attack for Election Day.”
The letter highlights the timeline of Tawhedi’s arrival in the U.S. and his background, noting that his entry came shortly after the Biden administration’s controversial withdrawal from Afghanistan. According to *NBC News*, Tawhedi previously worked as a security guard for the CIA in Afghanistan but appears to have been radicalized during his stay in the U.S.
Court documents released this week reveal that Tawhedi had attempted to acquire semiautomatic firearms and ammunition as part of his plot. He reportedly planned to resettle his family abroad before carrying out the attack. The charging documents also reference a co-conspirator, who remains unidentified as they are a minor.
“These recent arrests raise serious concerns about the ongoing threat that ISIS and its fanatical supporters pose to U.S. national security, as well as the shortfall in the Biden-Harris administration’s screening and vetting capabilities,” Chairman Green wrote.
Tawhedi’s arrest and the emerging details have reignited debates over the effectiveness of the U.S. government’s vetting process for refugees and immigrants, particularly those who were evacuated during the Afghanistan withdrawal.
