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Afghan man in Oklahoma City arrested for plotting Election Day attack
The indictment did not indicate whether Tawhedi worked as translator or interpreter in Afghanistan.
An Afghan man was arrested in Oklahoma for allegedly plotting an election day "terrorist attack," the U.S. Department of Justice said on Tuesday.
The man, Nasir Ahmad Tawhedi, 27, living in Oklahoma City after entering the U.S. in 2021 on a special immigrant visa, was plotting the attack in the name of Islamic State, according to the indictment. The Special Immigrant Visa program, which admits up to 50 people a year, is available to people who worked with the U.S. armed forces or under chief of mission authority as a translator or interpreter in Iraq or Afghanistan, Reuters reported.
The indictment did not indicate whether Tawhedi worked as translator or interpreter in Afghanistan.
The Department of Justice did not immediately respond to a request for comment, read the report.
Tawhedi searched online for information on how to access cameras in the capital, Washington, D.C., and for states that did not require a license to get a firearm, according to the indictment. He also visited the White House and Washington Monument webcameras.
Tawhedi and an underage co-conspirator, who is his brother-in-law, were arrested on Monday after they met with FBI assets to buy two AK-47 rifles and ammunition, Reuters reported.
In his post-arrest interview, Tawhedi said the attack planned to target large gatherings of people, during which he and his co-conspirator expected to die as martyrs.
"We will continue to combat the ongoing threat that ISIS and its supporters pose to America’s national security, and we will identify, investigate, and prosecute the individuals who seek to terrorize the American people," U.S. Attorney General Merrick Garland said in a statement.
Last week, in a "homeland threat assessment," the Department of Homeland Security said the U.S. threat environment was expected to remain high in the coming year due to factors including the 2024 election cycle and the war in Gaza.
"Lone offenders and small groups continue to pose the greatest threat. Meanwhile, foreign terrorist organizations, including the Islamic State and al Qaeda maintain their enduring intent to conduct or inspire attacks in the Homeland," the department said in an assessment released on Oct. 2.
The Islamic State militant organization killed and executed thousands of people in the name of its extreme religious interpretation before it was territorially defeated in Iraq in 2017 and Syria in 2019, Reuters reported.
Russia and Pakistan urged "enhanced" coordination among regional countries Thursday for a "peaceful and prosperous" Afghanistan, according to a statement from the Pakistani Foreign Ministry.
The call was made during a meeting between Russian Special Envoy to Afghanistan Zamir Kabulov and Pakistani Foreign Secretary Amna Baloch in Islamabad where the two sides exchanged views on relations with Afghanistan.
Kabulov arrived in Islamabad for a visit earlier in the day.
A Qatari aircraft carrying medical aid and four ambulances touched down on Thursday at Kabul Airport.
The aid, provided by Qatar Fund for Development, was received by Deputy Minister of Public Health Bakht-ur-Rahman Sharafat and Qatar's Acting Chargé d'Affaires to Afghanistan Mirdef bin Ali Al Qashouti, Qatar's foreign ministry said in a statement.
"This aid comes within the framework of the State of Qatar's efforts and its firm commitment to providing support and standing by the brotherly Afghan people, and providing them with their urgent and necessary needs," the statement said.
Afghanistan’s education officials have emphasized the importance of education in society and urged students to make an effort to increase their knowledge of modern sciences.
Speaking at an award ceremony following the national Science Star program, Alhaj Mawlawi Sakhaullah Saeed, Deputy Minister of Education, said students must “strive tirelessly to enrich their scientific knowledge”.
Education officials also pointed out that efforts for the development of modern sciences are ongoing by the Islamic Emirate. Officials said this was especially in line with the balance of military power in the world, which requires an understanding of modern sciences.
Officials emphasized that the Islamic Emirate is committed to the development of science education in the country.
On the Science Star program, officials discussed in detail the value and role of such competitions in terms of enhancing students’ scientific knowledge and self-confidence.
They assured students of the continuation of these programs and the preparation and provision of facilities for future contests.
A few months ago, the education ministry rolled out the scientific contest across all 34 provinces in the country to develop and identify talent across the country.
The results were recently announced at a grand ceremony attended by the deputy minister of education and other officials, along with the Education Advisor of the Turkish Embassy, and the Cultural Attaché of the Embassy of Iran.
The contest itself was run in all 34 provinces. The top student from each province then went through to a second round.
Six finalists were selected for the last round - and battled it out for the top three spots.
Winner of the Science Star this year was Samiullah, son of Mirza Mohammad from Herat province.
Second was Azizullah, son of Ramazan from Bamyan province, and third was Azmatullah, son of Bismillah from Kabul city.
The contest was organized by the education ministry in cooperation with and the financial support of the Turkish Cooperation and Coordination Agency (TIKA) and Afghan Wireless Communication Company (AWCC).
Meanwhile, Abdul Latif Nazari, the Deputy Minister of Economy, who was also at the ceremony, said: “Contrary to the propaganda of the enemies, the Islamic Emirate pays special attention to the strengthening of educational centers.”
TIKA officials in turn said their organization continues to cooperate with Afghanistan in various sectors, especially in education.
“We have implemented hundreds of projects in different sectors in Afghanistan over the past twenty years.
“More than a hundred of the projects are in the education sector and we continue this cooperation,” said Fazil Akin Erdogan, head of TIKA.
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