Afghan National Charged With Election Day Terror Plot Exposes Biden-Harris Vetting Failures

Nasir Ahmad Tawhedi, an Afghan national charged with plotting an Election Day terror attack, has highlighted significant failures in the vetting process of refugees during the Biden-Harris administration’s withdrawal from Afghanistan. Tawhedi, 27, who was employed as a security guard for the CIA, reportedly radicalized after arriving in the U.S. He was arrested by the FBI in Oklahoma City after authorities discovered his plans to carry out an ISIS-inspired attack using AK-47 rifles.

Tawhedi arrived in the U.S. in September 2021 on a Special Immigrant Visa (SIV) granted after the chaotic U.S. withdrawal from Afghanistan. According to reports, over 70,000 Afghans were paroled into the U.S. under similar circumstances, many of whom were not properly vetted. The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) admitted that it encountered obstacles during the vetting process, as many evacuees lacked critical identification data.

Law enforcement sources described the vetting process as a “disaster,” stating that many evacuees arrived without adequate screening. This allowed some individuals, like Tawhedi, to enter the country despite posing security risks. Tawhedi’s plan unraveled when undercover FBI agents, who had been monitoring his activities, discovered his stockpiling of weapons and ISIS propaganda.

Tawhedi also communicated with ISIS-aligned groups via encrypted messaging apps and provided financial support to a Syria-based “charity” linked to ISIS. The FBI uncovered additional evidence, including a video of Tawhedi discussing martyrdom with children, reinforcing his radicalization. Authorities suspect he planned to carry out his attack in Washington, D.C.

This case has reignited concerns about the Biden-Harris administration’s handling of the Afghanistan withdrawal and the vetting of refugees. The DHS Inspector General has warned that the flawed vetting process may have allowed individuals posing national security risks into the country.