Afghan National Arrested in U.S. on Terrorism Threat Charges
U.S. authorities have announced the arrest of Mohammad Dawood Alkozai, an Afghan national, for posting a threatening video on the social media platform TikTok. The video allegedly shows Alkozai constructing an explosive device, which, according to security officials, was intended for an attack in the Fort Worth area of Texas.
The arrest was carried out on Tuesday by the Texas Department of Public Safety in coordination with the FBI’s Joint Terrorism Task Force. Alkozai is currently being held at the Tarrant County Corrections Center in Fort Worth. Official records show that he was granted lawful permanent resident status in the United States on September 7, 2022.
The U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) confirmed that Alkozai entered the country under the “Operation Allies Welcome” program, which was launched in 2021 following the withdrawal of U.S. troops from Afghanistan to resettle thousands of Afghan nationals. The incident has raised growing concerns regarding the vetting procedures used for applicants in this program.
In connection with the case, U.S. officials stated that Alkozai faces state-level charges of making terrorist threats and is under active investigation. U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) has also confirmed that following his arrest, he was transferred to their detention facility.
In a statement, the DHS warned that “terrorists will not be allowed to reside in the United States.” The department also emphasized that all immigration applications from Afghan nationals and asylum decisions have been indefinitely paused.
Alkozai’s arrest occurred just one day before an attack targeting two members of the U.S. National Guard near the White House in Washington, D.C. The attacker in that incident was also reported to be an Afghan national named Rahmanullah Lakanwal. These developments have reignited serious concerns about the security screening processes for Afghan immigration cases.
As thousands of Afghans continue to seek safety and better lives in Western countries, isolated and suspicious acts like Alkozai’s could have severe consequences for the future of Afghan immigration. The Taliban administration has not issued any statement regarding the incident.
