❓WHAT HAPPENED: Afghan national Rahmanullah Lakanwal allegedly carried out a Thanksgiving eve ambush in Washington, D.C., resulting in the death of one National Guard member and the critical injury of another. It is now being probed as to whether the Tablighi Jamaat network was involved in Lakanwal’s radicalization.
👤WHO WAS INVOLVED: Rahmanullah Lakanwal, victims Sarah Beckstrom and Andrew Wolfe, and investigators from the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) and Department of Homeland Security (DHS).
📍WHEN & WHERE: The ambush occurred on Thanksgiving eve near the White House; Lakanwal had been living in Bellingham, Washington.
💬KEY QUOTE: “We believe he was radicalized since he’s been here in this country.” – Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem
🎯IMPACT: Federal investigators are now examining Lakanwal’s ties to Tablighi Jamaat and his activities in the U.S. to determine the extent of radicalization and involvement in extremist networks.
The Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) and Department of Homeland Security (DHS) are now investigating whether Rahmanullah Lakanwal, the Afghan national accused of carrying out a deadly ambush on National Guard service members near the White House, was radicalized by the global Islamic missionary movement Tablighi Jamaat. Lakanwal, who entered the United States in September 2021 on a Special Immigrant Visa (SIV) after serving ten years in the Afghan army alongside U.S. Special Forces in Kandahar, made a cryptic phone call to his estranged wife shortly before the attack in which he mentioned being “with Tablighis,” a reference to the Tablighi Jamaat movement.
Despite Tablighi Jamaat’s having publicly denounced Islamist terrorism, the group has been linked by counterterrorism experts to extremist ideologies. DHS Security Secretary Kristi Noem stated, “We believe he was radicalized since he’s been here in this country.” Lakanwal’s Thanksgiving Eve attack resulted in the death of 20-year-old Sarah Beckstrom and left 24-year-old Andrew Wolfe critically injured.
The National Pulse reported in March that Tablighi Jamaat established a new headquarters in Garland, Texas. The network—also known as the ‘Army of Darkness’—has set up operations inside the Masjid Yaseen mosque in Garland, which now serves as its American nerve center, following its relocation from Louisiana.
Lakanwal’s brother, Ismail Khosti, expressed shame over the incident, describing it as “a wrong action” and calling for the truth to be uncovered. Khosti, a former company commander in Afghanistan’s National Directorate of Security, highlighted the irony of his brother’s actions, given their shared history of fighting against Islamist groups like the Taliban.
Investigators are also examining Lakanwal’s life in the U.S., including his reported struggles with post-traumatic stress disorder, depression, and isolation. Emails from a volunteer caseworker revealed a pattern of erratic behavior, including “manic” road trips and periods of disappearance. These details have raised questions about whether his activities were linked to Tablighi Jamaat’s missionary efforts, which often involve small-group trips to mosques and communities.
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