Homeland secretary says National Guard shooting suspect became radicalized in the US

WASHINGTON, Nov 30 (Reuters) U.S. officials believe that the Afghan immigrant accused of attacking National Guard members in Washington, D.C., likely became radicalized only after arriving in the United States, Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem stated on Sunday.

Speaking on NBCs "Meet the Press" and ABCs "This Week," Noem explained that investigators suspect Rahmanullah Lakanwal, the 29-year-old alleged shooter, was already residing in Washington state when extremist beliefs reportedly took hold. Authorities are currently gathering additional information from his family and acquaintances.

Lakanwal has been identified as the individual responsible for the Wednesday shooting near the White House that resulted in the death of one National Guard member and left another critically injured. In the aftermath, the Trump administration criticized what it described as insufficient vetting of Afghan and other foreign nationals during President Joe Bidens term, despite Lakanwal having received asylum under Trumps administration.

Trump told reporters on Sunday that his administration might temporarily halt asylum admissions in the U.S., potentially for an extended period. "No time limit, but it could be a long time," he said on Air Force One. "We have enough problems. We dont want those people."

Lakanwal entered the United States in 2021 during the Biden administrations evacuation of Afghans who assisted U.S. forces in Afghanistan as the Taliban regained control. Government records reviewed by Reuters indicate he was granted asylum in April under the Trump administration.

Noem suggested that Lakanwal, who had served in a CIA-supported unit in Afghanistan, may have adopted extremist views after arriving in the U.S. "We believe he was radicalized since hes been here in this country," she told NBC News. "We do believe it was through connections in his home community and state, and we will continue speaking with those who interacted with him, including family members."

Noem confirmed that officials have received limited cooperation so far from those acquainted with Lakanwal and emphasized that anyone involved or connected to the shooting would be pursued. "Anyone who has information on this needs to know that we will be coming after you, and we will bring you to justice," she said.

Following the attack, the Trump administration implemented stricter immigration measures, including a freeze on processing all asylum applications. Noem indicated that immigration authorities might consider deporting individuals with active asylum cases if justified. "We are going to review every person with a pending asylum claim," she added.

(Reporting by Ted Hesson and Jasper Ward; additional reporting by Jeff Mason; Editing by Sergio Non, Chizu Nomiyama, and Chris Reese)

Author: Sophia Brooks