McCaul: Afghans transferred to the U.S. were not properly vetted
Bayan News – Michael McCaul, Chairman of the U.S. House Foreign Affairs Committee, stated that Afghans who were transferred to the United States were not subjected to security screenings, which has endangered Washington’s national security.
He made these remarks in response to the arrest of Nasir Ahmad Toheedi, an Afghan citizen detained on charges of planning a terrorist attack.
In a statement, McCaul added: “This is yet another example of how the Biden-Harris administration’s disastrous withdrawal from Afghanistan has significantly endangered our national security.”
According to the U.S. official, individuals applying for Special Immigrant Visas (SIV) must undergo thorough vetting processes, but those brought to the United States during the evacuation were not screened, regardless of their status.
He said: “It is important that we honor our commitments to our Afghan allies who risked their lives to support U.S. interests, and that this administration enforces the highest vetting standards for all individuals entering the United States.”
The FBI arrested Toheedi last week on charges of planning a terrorist attack on U.S. election day. He is accused of having links to ISIS.
According to U.S. media reports, Toheedi, 27, traveled to the U.S. in September 2021, just days after the U.S. withdrawal from Afghanistan, with a special immigrant visa, which is issued to former U.S. employees in Afghanistan.
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