A surprising letter of recommendation has come to light, revealing that the Biden administration previously assured that Rahmanullah Rakanwal, the National Guard suspect charged with murder, was “not a threat” to national security. This assessment was made four years prior to his violent actions in Washington, D.C.
The shooting incident, which occurred just before Thanksgiving, resulted in the death of 20-year-old specialist Sarah Beckstrom, and her colleague Andrew Wolfe was injured but has since made a remarkable recovery.
The letter, disclosed by Senator Charles Grassley (R-Iowa), who chairs the Senate Judiciary Committee, expressed confidence in Rakanwal’s lack of threat to U.S. national security. This communication originated from the Kabul annex to customs officials and included positive remarks intended to facilitate Rakanwal’s immigration process, based on his service with the CIA during the U.S. war in Afghanistan. A human resources officer recommended him for a special immigrant visa to enable his entry into the United States.
Dated October 14, 2021, the correspondence was sent just two months following the Taliban’s takeover of Kabul and the withdrawal of U.S. troops. Rakanwal had reportedly been working as a security guard at the State Department annex since 2011, after spending a decade collaborating with U.S. and Afghan forces.
The letter highlighted Rakanwal’s “loyal and valued service” to the U.S., noting that he had faced considerable risks to himself and his family due to his commitment to the U.S. mission in Afghanistan and the Department of State. His actions were framed as beneficial to American interests and national security.
Further sections of the letter, which were redacted, referenced unidentified organizations that supported claims of Rakanwal’s role in assisting the U.S. government.
Recently, reports emerged detailing that Rakanwal and another Afghan national, Mohammad Dawood Alokozai, who is suspected of making terrorist threats, had both been employed at the same anti-terrorism base.
Senator Grassley has voiced concerns regarding the Biden administration’s vetting processes, arguing that failures in scrutiny have led to serious implications for American citizens. He referenced CIA Director John Ratcliffe’s previous comments regarding his agency’s oversight, and queried whether Lakhanwal had undergone enough background checks before entering the U.S.
Grassley has sought answers about the scrutiny applied to Rakanwal and other Afghans arrested around the same time, including Alokozai, who was detained in Texas for alleged bomb threats, and Jaan Shah Safi, arrested in Virginia for suspected links to ISIS-K.
In correspondence this week, Grassley urged the CIA and related agencies to disclose more details concerning the connection between the three detained individuals and U.S. government activities.
He inquired whether these individuals were evaluated or vetted before entering the United States, and if they had any connections to the CIA or support roles.
From past reports, it appears that only Safi was listed on the government’s extensive terror watch list, with assorted officials indicating he has links to around 2,000 Afghans with ties to known or suspected terrorists.
Under the Biden administration’s Operation Welcoming Allies, over 100,000 Afghans have arrived in the U.S. The State Department has issued special immigrant visas to approximately 143,000 Afghans through March 2024, but plans to suspend all visas for 19 nations, including Afghanistan, starting January 1, 2026. Despite this, the Secretary of State and the Secretary of Homeland Security can still allow individual travel if deemed in the national interest.
