Southwest
Afghan charged with Election Day terror plot raises questions, fears from lawmakers: ‘This is real’
The arrest of an Afghan national accused of planning an Election Day terror plot is fueling concerns from congressional lawmakers that there could be more potential terror threats who arrived as part of the tens of thousands who came to the U.S. in the wake of the withdrawal from Afghanistan.
“There was a vulnerability that was left that was able to be taken advantage of by, in this case, ISIS. It could be Taliban next time. It could be any other terrorist organization out there. And what I fear… is this is just one of probably tens, I wouldn’t say hundreds, but tens of more individuals that are in the same situation,” Sen. Markwayne Mullin, R-Okla., told Fox News.
Authorities announced last week the arrest of Nasir Ahmad Tawhedi, an Afghan national who came to the U.S. in 2021 after the withdrawal from Afghanistan. Tawhedi is charged with conspiring and attempting to provide material support to ISIS and receiving a firearm to be used to commit a felony or a federal crime of terrorism. Authorities say he liquidated his family’s assets to finance his plan, including purchasing rifles and one-way tickets for his wife and child back to Afghanistan.
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“This defendant, motivated by ISIS, allegedly conspired to commit a violent attack, on Election Day, here on our homeland,” said FBI Director Christopher Wray in a statement.
Court filings initially stated that he came on a special immigrant visa but have since clarified that he came to the U.S. via humanitarian parole and later applied for SIV status.
A senior administration official told Fox News last week that Tawhedi was screened three times. He was screened first to work security for the CIA in Afghanistan, then for humanitarian parole to enter the U.S. in 2021, when he was vetted and screened in a third country, and then for special immigrant status, for which he was approved. His status has not yet been finalized. Officials believe he was radicalized after coming to the U.S.
AFGHAN NATIONAL CHARGED WITH ELECTION DAY TERROR PLOT REIGNITES VETTING CONCERNS
There is also no indication that there were any red flags that should have barred his entry at any point in the process. His alleged co-conspirator in the case entered the country in 2018 and also passed vetting to receive a green card.
Tawhedi entered during the mass evacuation effort as the Taliban took back Afghanistan. The U.S. would go on to admit more than 97,000 evacuees, of which about 77,000 were admitted via humanitarian parole, through a program called Operation Allies Welcome.
Republicans and the Homeland Security internal watchdog have repeatedly raised issues about the vetting process for Afghan nationals, and last week’s arrest has only served to refuel those concerns.
“After the failed withdrawal from Afghanistan, we knew that there was no real vetting process of Afghan nationals coming into the United States. There were major concerns about potential terror plots to the homeland. This is the problem with the Harris-Biden administration,” Rep Byron Donalds, R-Fla., said. “No accountability, no serious planning, covering up crises that, frankly, happen in front of the eyes of the American people.”
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The Biden administration has repeatedly defended the vetting process, arguing that there is a multilayered process that includes classified and unclassified vetting, including against Pentagon and FBI databases as well as Interpol notices and other information.
“Afghan evacuees who sought to enter the United States were subject to multi layered screening and vetting against intelligence, law enforcement, and counterterrorism information,” a DHS spokesperson said on Wednesday. “If new information emerges after arrival, appropriate action is taken.”
The two senators from Oklahoma have both received briefings from the FBI on the matter. Sen. James Lankford, R-Okla., also stressed the dangers facing the country.
“This is real. And we have people that are trying to be able to kill us that are within our own country, they’re planning,” Lankford told Fox News. “An open border is a danger. We’ve seen that already, that we’re living on borrowed time through this moment.”
Fox News’ Jacqui Heinrich contributed to this report.
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Los Angeles, Ca
Clint Eastwood's daughter arrested in Beverly Hills for domestic violence
Actor Francesca Eastwood, daughter of the legendary actor Clint Eastwood was arrested in Beverly Hills over the weekend on suspicion of felony domestic violence, according to reporting from the Los Angeles Times.
Officers with the Beverly Hills Police Department responded to a call Saturday of possible domestic violence at its North Rexford Drive headquarters, police confirmed to The Times.
An investigation was conducted and “based on statements and injuries,” the 31-year-old Los Angeles resident was arrested and booked at the BHPD Jail for felony domestic violence.
The daughter of Oscar Award-winning actor and director Clint Eastwood and actor Frances Fisher, best known for her roles in “Unforgiven” and “Titanic,” is described as “a talented film actress whose career is on a remarkable upward trajectory” according to her IMDB page. She has worked on the 2021 M. Night Shyamalan film “Old” and has acting credits dating back to 1995.
She also starred in the reality series “Mrs. Eastwood & Company,” which chronicled the life of Dina Eastwood, Clint’s then-wife, and their two daughters, Francesca and Morgan.
Francesca was also arrested in 2015 on suspicion of driving under the influence. After she pleaded no contest to the charge, The Times reports her case was dismissed.
The 31-year-old’s bail was set at $50,000 and she was due to appear in court Tuesday morning.
The Times reached out to her representatives and were awaiting a response.
Southwest
Chef Andrew Zimmern hunts, cooks wild animals, creates recipes 'for anybody' watching his show
Chef Andrew Zimmern knows that most viewers of his new show “Field to Fire” do not have access to freshly hunted nilgai. Or squirrel. Or deer. Or an open flame to cook these things.
But that’s OK, he said: He has plenty of recipe variations to offer.
“Field to Fire,” airing on the Outdoor Channel, is a new twist on a classic cooking show. The Emmy Award- and James Beard Award-winning TV personality, chef and writer is taking viewers up close and into the woods as he hunts and fishes for the very proteins he later cooks over an open fire.
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“‘Field to Fire’ finally allows us to show people how we’re spending our time in the outdoors before we actually get into our outdoor kitchen,” Zimmern told Fox News Digital in a Zoom interview. (See the video at the top of this article.)
Showing what happens effectively behind the scenes of a cooking show, Zimmern said, is “a wonderful thing for people to see.”
“They’ll meet incredible characters. I think the people who spend their lives devoted to hunting and fishing are some of our most adamant conservationists,” he said. “And I’m just delighted that this show is off to a rocking start.”
During filming, Zimmern traveled throughout the southern United States and his home state of Minnesota. He harvested everything from sheepshead to squirrels, he said.
Zimmern described himself as “someone who’s predicated their entire life on having an encyclopedia of foods that he’s tried over the years that no one else can touch.”
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Even so, he found himself trying new things during filming – something both delightful and disgusting, he said.
“The real surprises have been [that] some of the species that I’ve been able to hunt and fish for are new for me,” he said.
Among the foods new to him were Texas alligator gar, which he described as “absolutely one of the most worthless pieces of fish” he had ever eaten.
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Los Angeles, Ca
2 arrested after 86,000 fentanyl pills discovered in Southern California traffic stop
Two suspects were arrested after police discovered thousands of illegal fentanyl pills in San Bernardino County.
On Tuesday morning, Barstow Police pulled over a vehicle near the 15 Freeway and Barstow Road for a vehicle code violation at around 3:42 a.m.
Two male suspects were inside the car. While searching their vehicle, a police K9 alerted officers to the presence of illegal narcotics.
Police eventually found around 86,000 fentanyl pills inside, which weighed approximately 20 pounds.
Both suspects, identified as Jesus Casteneda, 27, and Daniel Quevodo, 21, were taken into custody. Both men are residents of Phoenix, Arizona.
They were arrested for possession of a controlled substance for sales and transportation of a controlled substance for sales. They were booked at the San Bernardino County Sheriff’s Department Jail in Barstow.
The case remains under investigation. Anyone with additional information can call Sergeant Matthew Helms at 760-256-2211 or email mhelms@barstowca.org.
Anonymous tips can be provided to We-Tip at 1-800-782-7463 or online at wetip.com.
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