The FBI confirms that the attacker of the soldiers collaborated with US intelligence in Afghanistan

WashingtonThe suspected shooter of two soldiers yesterday afternoon in downtown Washington is a 29-year-old Afghan man named Rahmanullah Lakanwal, who lived in Bellingham, Washington state, on the other side of the country. The District of Columbia's Attorney General, Janine Piero, explained that the young man drove nearly 40 hours to the capital to carry out the attack on the two National Guard members, Sarah Beckstrom, 20, and Andrew Wolfe, 24. Lakanwal entered the country on the 20th of the US withdrawal from Afghanistan, which allowed the Taliban to regain control of the country. Piero stated that the suspected attacker, who was alone, "opened fire without provocation," and explained that he now faces three charges, one of them for attempted armed murder. However, the Attorney General said that the charges could change "depending on the condition of the soldiers." Both were admitted in critical condition. "It's a coast-to-coast investigation," said FBI Director Kahs Patel, who confirmed with CIA Director John Ratcliffe and Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth that the young man had "a relationship with collaborating forces in Afghanistan." According to several U.S. media outlets, Lakanwal had collaborated with the CIA, as well as other government-linked entities. Ratcliffe justified Lakanwal's evacuation to the United States due to his prior work with the U.S. government, which reportedly ended "shortly after the chaotic evacuation." Patel also explained that the weapon used in the attack has been sent to Quantico for analysis.

When one of the journalists told Piero that some citizens are angry with President Trump because soldiers are still deployed in the capital even though nothing is happening—in fact, a judge declared it illegal last week, but the reservists continue to patrol—the Attorney General exploded, saying, "It's time to send more soldiers." In response to the attack, Trump announced yesterday that he was sending another 500 National Guard troops to the capital.

Another measure taken by the Trump administration was the announcement that U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services will suspend all immigration applications from Afghan citizens with immediate effect. This way, all asylum processes will be frozen "pending further review of security protocols and background checks." The measure will affect both Afghans already in the country who have applied for permanent residency and those trying to enter.

The decision goes a step further Trump's crusade against immigrantsAs soon as the suspect's nationality became known, he was quick to point the finger at the Afghan community. The US president called the shooting an "act of terror" and promised to toughen measures against Afghans and redouble efforts to deport them en masse: "Now we have to re-screen every alien who has come into our country from Afghanistan," he said in a video. "As President of the United States, I will make sure that the animal who perpetrated this atrocity pays the highest possible price," he added, using the term that members of his administration use to refer to undocumented immigrants accused of committing crimes. According to Trump, Joe Biden is responsible for allowing this individual to enter the country four years ago, since the suspect then took advantage of Operation Allies Welcome, a program intended to welcome Afghans. after the US withdrawal To avoid endangering citizens who had had dealings with American authorities after the Taliban returned to power, the program allowed them to remain in the United States for two years, but did not grant them permanent status; they had to apply for it through processes such as asylum.