❓WHAT HAPPENED: An Afghan national who entered the U.S. during the former Biden government’s disastrous Afghanistan withdrawal has been federally charged with planning to attack civilians, including threats to “build a bomb” and “conduct a suicide attack.”
👤WHO WAS INVOLVED: Mohammad Dawood Alokozay, U.S. Attorney Ryan Raybould, and the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) Dallas office, among others.
📍WHEN & WHERE: Alokozay, residing in Fort Worth, Texas, was charged at the state level last week and federally on Tuesday.
💬KEY QUOTE: “He explicitly stated that he came here in order to kill American citizens,” said Attorney General Pam Bondi.
🎯IMPACT: The case highlights concerns over the Biden government’s vetting process for evacuees and the potential threats to public safety.
Mohammad Dawood Alokozay, 30, who arrived in the U.S. during the former Biden government’s Operation Allies Welcome—conducted as part of its shambolic withdrawal from Afghanistan—has been federally charged with transmitting a threatening communication in interstate commerce. Alokozay, residing in Fort Worth, Texas, allegedly threatened to “build a bomb,” “conduct a suicide attack,” and kill Americans, according to U.S. Attorney Ryan Raybould.
Raybould stated that Alokozay posted a video to social media in which he was seen “angrily gesturing and speaking Dari” while discussing plans with others. The video also referenced the use of a type of cooking oil container commonly utilized by the Taliban to construct improvised explosive devices (IEDs) in Afghanistan. Alokozay reportedly admitted he came to the U.S. with the intent to kill the people on the call and carry out a suicide attack on Americans.
Alokozay entered the U.S. in 2021 as a lawful permanent resident under the Biden government’s resettlement program following the evacuation of U.S. forces and supposed allies from Kabul. Concerns over vetting procedures have been raised, particularly after another Afghan evacuee, Rahmanullah Lakanwal, attacked two West Virginia National Guardsmen in Washington, D.C, killing one and leaving the other in critical condition.
Attorney General Pam Bondi criticized the Biden government’s vetting process, stating, “The public safety threat created by the Biden administration’s vetting breakdown cannot be overstated.” She added that the Department of Justice (DOJ) would continue working with federal and state partners to address these threats. Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) Dallas Field Office head, R. Joseph Rothrock, credited public reports of the video for enabling authorities to act swiftly in apprehending Alokozay.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Vincent Mazzurco is prosecuting the case, and the FBI’s Joint Terrorism Task Force remains involved in the investigation.
Image via the Department of Justice.
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