Arrest of Afghan National Security Official Raises Concerns

An Afghan man, arrested in Virginia last week on suspicion of supporting ISIS, previously held a significant national security role in his home country. Jaan Shah Safi was taken into custody in Waynesboro and labeled an “illegal alien terrorist” by the Department of Homeland Security (DHS). The DHS announced that he had ties to ISIS-K and allegedly provided weapons to his father, an Afghan militia leader.

What wasn’t highlighted in the DHS announcement is that Safi, aged 48, worked as the deputy director of the Afghan National Security Agency, which is akin to the CIA, in the Nangarhar province. Interestingly, he was one of many Afghans who resettled in the U.S. during the Biden administration’s Operation Welcoming Allies.

Haibatullah Alizai, who served as chief of staff for the Afghan army near the end of Kabul’s fall, described Safi as more than just a soldier or commander. “He was a very senior person,” Alizai remarked, which suggests a deep level of involvement in military and security operations.

Alizai also mentioned that Safi held a critical intelligence position in Kunar province during his career. He expressed surprise at the arrest, pointing out that Safi’s family has been engaged in counter-terrorism. “We’re known for that,” he affirmed.

The timing of Safi’s arrest was coincidental, coming just days after Rahmanullah Rakanwar, a National Guard member, was charged with the first-degree murder of 20-year-old Sarah Beckstrom in Washington, D.C. Rakanwar has pleaded not guilty.

DHS Secretary Kristi Noem, in her statement, linked Safi’s arrest to ongoing security concerns, highlighting that it occurred just a few miles from the nation’s capital—where other recent violent incidents involving Afghan nationals have raised alarms.

In a related case, another Afghan individual, Mohammad Dawood Alokozai, was arrested in Texas facing federal charges for allegedly threatening violence in online group chats. The DHS mentioned both arrests, implying that this marked the third arrest of an Afghan national with ties to terrorism within the week following the shocking events in D.C.

Rahmatullah Nabil, a former head of Afghanistan’s Security Directorate, questioned the rationale behind Safi’s arrest. He felt that instead of criticism, Safi deserved acknowledgment for his contributions to counterterrorism efforts and intelligence work. This perspective diverges from the view held by some pro-Taliban commentators, who labeled Safi as a “pawn” and an oppressor.