CIA Director John Ratcliffe has been actively involved in several significant matters recently. Most notably, Ratcliffe confirmed that the suspect in the Washington DC National Guard shooting, Rahmanullah Lakanwal, had prior ties to CIA-backed military units during the US war in Afghanistan. Lakanwal, a 29-year-old Afghan national, came to the United States in September 2021 under Operation Allies Welcome, a program that granted entry visas to certain Afghans who had worked with the US government. He was subsequently granted asylum in April of this year under the Trump administration.

Ratcliffe made a statement confirming that Lakanwal was admitted to the United States specifically due to his prior work with the US Government and the CIA. Lakanwal had served in Afghanistan's elite counterterrorism units, including the Zero Unit, which operated directly under CIA oversight with support from the Joint Special Operations Command. In this role, Lakanwal worked closely with US intelligence and military personnel to target counterterrorism objectives.

The shooting incident occurred on November 26, when Lakanwal allegedly opened fire on two National Guard members just blocks from the White House in Washington DC. One of the victims, 20-year-old Sarah Beckstrom, died from her injuries. The other victim, 24-year-old Andrew Wolfe, remained in serious condition. Lakanwal drove from his residence in Washington state to carry out the attack.

Investigators have been exploring multiple angles regarding Lakanwal's motivation. While Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem stated that US officials believe Lakanwal was radicalized while living in the United States, other sources familiar with the investigation point to significant personal and financial difficulties. These challenges included unemployment, an expired work permit, housing instability, and the recent death of an Afghan commander whom Lakanwal had worked with and deeply revered. Family and volunteers who knew Lakanwal described him as increasingly withdrawn and isolated, with concerning mental health indicators that emerged over the past two years.

The FBI, Homeland Security, and intelligence officials have been investigating whether the attack was directed by or inspired by international terrorists, though no terror charges have been filed and no specific evidence has been publicly released linking Lakanwal to any terrorist organization.

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