Afghan ‘bomb maker’ TikToker arrested in Texas

An Afghan national who posted a video online claiming he could make a bomb and intended to target Fort Worth has been arrested in the US state of Texas, according to US media reports.

Authorities say the individual, identified as Mohammad Dawood Alokzai, was detained on Tuesday by the Department of Homeland Security and is now facing prosecution.

Alokzai had arrived in the United States under Operation Allies Welcome, the federal program established to resettle Afghan allies following the U.S. withdrawal from Afghanistan. He was later granted permanent residency (a green card) on September 7, 2022, according to the reports.

Investigators say the arrest followed the circulation of a TikTok video in which Alokzai allegedly claimed he could make a bomb and suggested he would target Fort Worth. Authorities have not released further details on the investigation or any potential threat to the public.

The case remains under federal review.

US PAUSES VISAS FOR AFGHAN PASSPORT HOLDERS

Earlier, the US stopped issuing visas to people travelling on Afghan passports, as officials launched a sweeping security review. Decisions on asylum applications have also been temporarily frozen, leaving thousands unsure about their next step.

The State Department said the move was taken to strengthen national security and protect the public. Officials believe it was important to delay processing until background screenings and security checks are completed.

Soon after the State Department’s announcement, US Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) issued a similar order. The agency said no case will move forward until security clearance is fully verified. Screenings of foreign applicants will remain incomplete until investigators declare them safe.

USCIS Director Joseph Edlow stated that applications will not be processed without full confidence in the results of the security checks. No individual will be approved unless officials are satisfied with their review.

The decision followed a shooting near the White House this week, where an Afghan-origin man reportedly opened fire on National Guard troops. A female guard was killed and another was seriously injured in the attack.

US media reports said the suspect arrived in the US in 2021 under a resettlement programme. The incident has prompted authorities to revisit immigration screening levels for Afghan citizens and other applicants from fragile regions.