Original Article By Frank Bergman
The Afghan national accused of shooting two West Virginia National Guard members just blocks from the White House had previously worked with multiple U.S. government entities, including the CIA, during America’s operations in Afghanistan.
Rahmanullah Lakanwal, 29, entered the United States in September 2021 through Operation Allies Welcome, the Biden administration’s rapid resettlement initiative following the chaotic withdrawal from Kabul.
Intelligence sources say Lakanwal had been part of a U.S.-aligned “partner force” in Kandahar and had conducted work for several government components, including the CIA.
CIA Director John Ratcliffe confirmed those details in a statement, directly tying Lakanwal’s U.S. entry to the Biden-era evacuation process.
“In the wake of the disastrous Biden withdrawal from Afghanistan, the Biden administration justified bringing the alleged shooter to the United States in September 2021 due to his prior work with the U.S. government, including CIA, as a member of a partner force in Kandahar, which ended shortly following the chaotic evacuation,” Ratcliffe said.
“The individual—and so many others—should have never been allowed to come here,” he added.
“Our citizens and service members deserve far better than to endure the ongoing fallout from the Biden administration’s catastrophic failures.”
FBI Investigating Possible International Terrorism
The FBI is leading the investigation, and the attack is being examined as a potential act of international terrorism.
The two National Guard soldiers remain in critical condition after the attack.
The two troops were shot in the head just steps from the White House perimeter.
D.C. Mayor Muriel Bowser said the incident appeared deliberate:
“This is a targeted shooting.
“One individual appeared to target these guardsmen.
“That individual has been taken into custody.”
Trump Condemns “Savage Attack” Near White House
In a national address Wednesday night, President Donald Trump described the shooting as a direct assault on the country.
He called the incident a “savage attack” and recounted how one Guardsman “was shot at point-blank range in a monstrous ambush-style attack just steps away from the White House.”
“The heinous assault was an act of evil and act of hatred and an act of terror,” Trump continued.
“It was a crime against our entire nation.
“It was a crime against humanity.”
He added that “the hearts of all Americans tonight are with those two members of the West Virginia National Guard and their families.”
The president vowed accountability:
“As President of the United States, I am determined to ensure that the animal who perpetrated this atrocity pays the steepest possible price.”
A Case Raising New Questions About Biden’s 2021 Vetting
The case has intensified scrutiny of the 2021 Afghan evacuation, particularly the Biden administration’s assurances that all evacuees had undergone “robust biometric screening.”
Officials at the time confirmed that some individuals had been flagged for derogatory information, but did not disclose how many.
With intelligence sources now confirming that Lakanwal’s background included direct interface with sensitive U.S. government entities, lawmakers and security officials are expected to press for answers about how he was cleared for entry and whether partner-force vetting adequately assessed potential security risks.
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