THIS DAWN — Authorities in Texas have arrested Mohammad Dawood Alokozay, an Afghan national, on charges of making a terroristic threat after he posted a video on TikTok suggesting he was building a bomb aimed at the Fort Worth area.
Federal officials flagged the video, which appeared to show Alokozay constructing an explosive device, leading to his swift detention.
Court records confirm he faces state‑level charges, while the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) has acknowledged the arrest.
Alokozay entered the United States in 2021 under Operation Allies Welcome.
The operation was part of the Biden administration’s resettlement program for Afghans at risk following the U.S. withdrawal from Afghanistan.
DHS noted the case raises vetting concerns, though advocates maintain the program involved extensive screening.
Neighbors in Bellingham, Washington, where Alokozay lived with his wife and five children, described him as quiet and polite, with limited English proficiency.
They said he struggled to find steady work since arriving in the country.
The arrest comes amid heightened political debate over refugee admissions and asylum vetting, particularly for Afghans linked to military or intelligence operations.
Alokozay remains in custody, with federal authorities monitoring the case closely.
Suspect in National Guard Shooter Faces Murder Charge
In a related development, U.S. Attorney Jeanine Pirro announced on Friday that the charges against the man accused of shooting two National Guard members near the White House have been upgraded to first‑degree murder after one of the soldiers died.
Specialist Sarah Beckstrom, 20, and Staff Sgt. Andrew Wolfe, 24, were critically wounded in Wednesday’s attack.
President Donald Trump confirmed Thursday evening that Beckstrom had died, prompting prosecutors to elevate charges against Rahmanullah Lakanwal, a 29‑year‑old Afghan national.
Lakanwal now faces one count of first‑degree murder and two counts of assault with intent to kill while armed.
Beckstrom and Wolfe were deployed with the West Virginia National Guard under Trump’s federalized policing mission in Washington, D.C.
The president, who has also sought to deploy Guard units to other cities to support mass deportation efforts, condemned the shooting as a “terrorist attack.”
Trump halts asylum for “Third World Countries”
The Trump administration responded by halting all asylum decisions nationwide and pausing visa issuance for Afghan passport holders.
U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services Director Joseph Edlow said asylum rulings will remain suspended “until we can ensure that every alien is vetted and screened to the maximum degree possible.”
Trump blamed the Biden administration for allowing Afghans who worked with U.S. forces during the Afghanistan War to resettle in America.
He vowed to “permanently pause migration” from poorer nations, which he described as “Third World Countries”.
Investigators are still searching for a motive.
Pirro told Fox News that “many charges” may follow, describing the attack as an “ambush‑style” assault.
Warrants are being executed in Washington state, where Lakanwal lived with his wife and five children.
Lakanwal entered the U.S. in 2021 through Operation Allies Welcome, a resettlement program for Afghans at risk after the U.S. withdrawal.
He previously served in CIA‑backed Afghan “Zero Units,” paramilitary forces accused of abuses but credited with securing Kabul airport during the chaotic evacuation.
