Former Afghan commando Rahmanullah Lakanwal disappeared from his Bellingham, Washington, home late last month before traveling to Washington, D.C., where authorities say he ambushed two National Guard service members on Thanksgiving eve. Law enforcement officials and family contacts said Lakanwal told his wife in a phone call that he was “with Tablighis” and later that he was “doing Tabligh.” According to local reports, FBI and Department of Homeland Security investigators have opened a nationwide probe into whether anyone connected to the transnational missionary movement Tablighi Jamaat played a role in his actions.
The inquiry seeks to determine whether figures associated with Tablighi Jamaat radicalized Lakanwal, assisted his travel, or provided other support linked to the attack on 17th Street NW that authorities say killed National Guard Spc. Sarah Beckstrom and critically wounded Spc. Andrew Wolfe. Investigators are reviewing travel records, communications, financial transactions and social ties to establish how the former Afghan commando carried out the ambush and whether any domestic or international networks were involved.
The case raises immediate questions about refugee and evacuee screening, community integration and the pathways that can lead to violence. Those issues fall under the broader remit of our Crime Coverage, which examines how law enforcement and policymakers respond when transnational ties and local security intersect.
Background
Lakanwal served in Afghanistan in a unit described by former colleagues as an element within the National Directorate of Security, the Afghan intelligence agency. After leaving Afghanistan, he and his family were resettled in the United States and lived in Bellingham, Washington, according to former colleagues and family contacts.
Family members and former colleagues told investigators they were shocked by the allegations and by Lakanwal’s reported final comments to his wife about Tablighi activity. His brother shared details of the phone calls with FBI agents, family contacts said. Local resettlement volunteers had previously flagged concerns about his mental health and periods of isolation, according to emails reviewed by reporters.
Details from Officials and Records
Federal and local investigators say they are reconstructing Lakanwal’s movements and contacts over the past four years. The probe has included interviews with family, neighbors, mosque leaders, resettlement volunteers and caseworkers, as well as review of phone and travel records.
- Phone calls and statements: Family contacts said Lakanwal told his wife he was “with Tablighis.” His brother provided those call details to the FBI, according to family sources.
- Travel patterns: Media reports and caseworker correspondence indicate Lakanwal made repeated long road trips within the United States, sometimes leaving his family unaware of his whereabouts.
- Mental health: Emails from volunteers raised concerns about possible post-traumatic stress, depression and episodes of isolation that could have affected his behavior and judgment.
- Community ties: Leaders at the Bellingham mosque told investigators that Lakanwal attended services but was “not an integrated part of our community,” according to a statement provided to reporters.
A homeland security official told reporters on television that investigators believe Lakanwal may have been radicalized after arriving in the United States and that the process could involve ties in his former home community or connections established after resettlement. Federal agents are tracing whether individuals associated with Tablighi Jamaat in the United States or overseas played any role in his alleged radicalization, and whether any financial or logistical assistance was provided, law enforcement sources said.
Context on Tablighi Jamaat
Tablighi Jamaat is a transnational Islamic missionary movement founded in British India in the 1920s that focuses on personal religious outreach and proselytizing. Movement leaders publicly denounce terrorism. At the same time, counterterrorism analysts and some researchers have warned that the movement’s insular missionary practices and international travel patterns have, in a limited number of cases, appeared in early stages of radicalization for certain extremists.
Several countries have at times restricted or banned the group, while Tablighi activities continue legally in many places, including the United States. U.S. officials caution that attendance at Tablighi events by itself is not evidence of wrongdoing; investigators instead examine networks, communications and conduct to identify criminal activity or support for violence.
Resettlement, Vetting and Oversight
The probe also shines a light on the multiagency vetting and resettlement process for evacuees from conflict zones. Evacuees resettled in the United States typically undergo security screening by the Department of Homeland Security, the State Department and the Federal Bureau of Investigation, including biometric checks, interviews and database reviews. Still, officials and advocates have acknowledged limits to screening, especially for individuals uprooted in chaotic evacuations and those with complex trauma histories.
Resettlement and integration are supported by nonprofit sponsors and government programs overseen by the State Department and the Department of Health and Human Services. Volunteers and local sponsors told reporters they sometimes struggled to meet clients’ social, language and health needs, and flagged unstable living situations and mental health concerns in some households.
Congressional oversight and law enforcement reviews typically follow high-profile incidents that raise questions about vetting or program capacity. If investigators find gaps in screening or support services, lawmakers could press for additional funding, tighter coordination among federal agencies, or new safeguards balanced against civil liberties and anti-discrimination obligations.
Reactions and Next Steps
Afghan veterans and former colleagues of Lakanwal have expressed disbelief and urged a full accounting of how a soldier who fought the Taliban could be accused of attacking U.S. service members. A former Afghan military commander called for a thorough investigation to determine whether religious actors or other influences exploited any grievances.
Federal investigators said they will continue canvassing communities, reviewing communications and pursuing leads to determine whether individuals or networks linked to Tablighi Jamaat or other actors were connected to the suspect. Officials also said they are coordinating with local prosecutors to identify potential state or federal charges based on the evidence they collect.
Analysis
The investigation highlights difficult tradeoffs for policymakers and law enforcement. On one hand, authorities must pursue all credible leads to hold any accomplices or facilitators accountable and to protect public safety. That responsibility includes tracing cross-border ties that can enable travel, funding or ideological influence.
On the other hand, officials must avoid broad-brush policies that stigmatize whole communities or undercut religious freedom. Effective prevention depends on targeted, intelligence-driven investigations and on strengthening integration services for evacuees and refugees, including sustained mental health support and case management that reduce isolation and vulnerability to exploitation.
In practical terms, the case may prompt calls for improved information sharing across agencies, greater funding for long-term resettlement services, and clearer congressional oversight of evacuation and vetting programs. How authorities balance enhanced detection with civil liberties protections will shape both public trust in institutions and future policy responses as the probe continues.
