An Oklahoma judge has denied the release of Nasir Ahmad Tawhedi, an Afghan national living in the state who has been accused of planning a terrorist attack for Election Day. The 27-year-old faces charges of providing resources to a terrorist organization and conspiracy to obtain firearms for an act of terrorism.
Tawhedi, who arrived in the U.S. in September 2021 following the U.S. withdrawal from Afghanistan, had previously worked as a security guard for the CIA in his home country. He underwent vetting for that role and was vetted at least once more before his transfer to Oklahoma.
The FBI arrested Tawhedi in Oklahoma last week on charges of planning to purchase two AK-47 rifles to carry out a mass shooting as Americans went to the polls on Nov. 5. According to the FBI, Tawhedi was in communication with an individual known as 'Malik,' who was affiliated with ISIS-K, the Afghan branch of ISIS.
The FBI stated that Tawhedi had been donating to an ISIS-connected charity and viewing ISIS propaganda online. Additionally, a family member of Tawhedi was arrested in Haute-Garonne, France, this week for planning a separate attack, according to the French Anti-Terrorism Prosecutor’s Office.
U.S. officials revealed that Tawhedi had been vetted three times: first to work for the CIA in Afghanistan, then to come to the U.S. on Department of Homeland Security (DHS) humanitarian parole during the withdrawal, and a third time when he was approved for SIV status after arriving in the U.S.
The recent arrests in France and by the FBI's Oklahoma City field office highlight the importance of partnerships in detecting and disrupting potential terrorist attacks. The FBI emphasized its commitment to preventing acts of terrorism and working with partners both overseas and in the United States to uncover any plots and protect communities from violence.
