A 28-page criminal complaint has been filed against Nasir Ahmad Tawhedi and an unnamed juvenile co-conspirator, who was a virtual student at Southmoore High School. The complaint reveals how undercover agents became aware of a terrorist plot planned for Election Day. However, it provides only limited information on when Tawhedi, an Afghan national, arrived in the United States.
According to the document, Tawhedi came to the U.S. on September 9, 2021, on a Special Immigrant Visa and is currently on parole. His co-conspirator also entered the U.S. on a Special Immigrant Visa, but in 2018.
Special Immigrant Visas are granted to foreign nationals, particularly Afghan and Iraqi individuals, who have assisted U.S. forces abroad. John Kmetz, a retired foreign officer with 20 years of experience at the Department of State, explained, “This program is specifically for interpreters and others who worked closely with our military in the field, helping them navigate linguistically and culturally.”
To obtain a Special Immigrant Visa, applicants must meet strict eligibility criteria. They must provide a letter of recommendation from a U.S. supervisor, typically a commanding officer. Kmetz noted, “These individuals have been vetted more thoroughly than anyone else.”
This visa program has been in place since 2006. Kmetz stated, “There was a clear need to evacuate those who provided significant service to our military.” He also mentioned that the main complaint about the program was that the vetting process took too long.
Principal applicants can include certain family members in their visa applications. Following the fall of Kabul in 2021 and the Taliban’s takeover, the U.S. swiftly evacuated Afghan special immigrants through Operations Allies Refuge and Welcome.
Tawhedi’s parole status and Special Immigrant Visa leave questions about whether he actually worked for U.S. forces. Kmetz pointed out that it might have been a family member who was the principal applicant. Federal law keeps visa application details confidential.
Though Kmetz was not a federal agent, he suggested that Tawhedi could have become radicalized after arriving in the U.S. He stated, “This is a possibility for anyone at any time. This does not criticize the vetting system.”
The criminal complaint also indicates that Tawhedi communicated with members of ISIS through Telegram, a social media app. News 9 has requested information from the Department of State to determine if Tawhedi worked with U.S. forces overseas.
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