Investigators think the former CIA asset accused of shooting two National Guard members near the White House had been “radicalized” since arriving in the United States, Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem said Sunday without offering evidence.
Noem called Rahmanullah Lakanwal “unvetted” and blamed his entrance into the country on former President Joe Biden and his “disastrous” withdrawal of American troops from Afghanistan.
A senior U.S. official who spoke on condition of anonymity, however, told MS NOW that Lakanwal, 29, was cleared by the National Counterterrorism Center before being evacuated from Afghanistan in 2021 through a program known as Operation Allies Welcome. The program was designed to support and safely resettle vulnerable Afghans, especially those who worked alongside U.S. troops.
Lakanwal served for a decade alongside American forces fighting the Taliban in Afghanistan as a member of a special CIA unit, which required him to undergo repeated background checks, according to two people familiar with his role who also spoke on condition of anonymity.
U.S. officials said Rahmanullah and his family had been living in the Bellingham area in Washington state. There, he had struggled to adjust, The Associated Press reported Sunday, citing emails the news agency obtained that had been sent to a nonprofit group that works with refugees.
“We believe he was radicalized since he’s been here in this country. We do believe it was through connections in his home community and state, and we’re going to continue to talk to those who interacted with him,” Noem said on NBC’s “Meet the Press.”
Despite that, the department Noem oversees granted Lakanwal asylum in April. Noem repeatedly avoided directly answering questions from NBC’s Kristen Welker on that point. The Trump administration was not given enough information to properly vet people like Lakanwal, Noem said, but she did not detail specifically what information was lacking.
“That’s the Biden administration’s responsibility,” Noem said.
Lakanwal is accused of killing West Virginia National Guard Spc. Sarah Beckstrom, 20, and critically injuring Staff Sgt. Andrew Wolfe, 24.
Lakanwal was severely wounded himself as he was apprehended, authorities said. Prosecutors said he would face first-degree murder and other charges.
Akayla Gardner and Emily Hung contributed to this report.
Erum Salam is a breaking news reporter for MS NOW, with a focus on how global events and foreign policy shape U.S. politics. She previously was a breaking news reporter for The Guardian.