Fed Probe Stunning Twist in D.C. National Guard Murder

[Zorro]

The former Afghan fighter who killed one National Guard member and left a second critically injured just two blocks from the White House may have been blackmailed into carrying out the shooting, The Swamp has learned.

U.S. intelligence is investigating information that a Taliban hit squad threatened to murder Rahmanullah Lakanwal’s family in Afghanistan unless he opened fire on American troops in the nation’s capital.

Donald Trump and his MAGA acolytes, including FBI Director Kash Patel, White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt, and “War” Secretary Pete Hegseth, have described the 29-year-old married father-of-five as a “monster” and a “terrorist” and insisted he would likely face the death penalty.

But investigators are asking themselves why a man who was vetted by two administrations, and with no criminal record and no history of extremism, should drive across the country on an apparent suicide mission to shoot at heavily armed U.S. military personnel with a revolver.

One line of inquiry they are seriously pursuing, according to sources with knowledge of the investigation, is that Lakanwal was made an offer he could not refuse. Either he accepted the mission, or his family in Afghanistan would be beaten, murdered, and possibly beheaded.

https://www.thedailybeast.com/fed-probe-stunning-twist-in-dc-national-guard-murder/

[newdeal2]

1. I guess the Taliban's Camp David invitation got lost in the mail

Maybe they can head down to Mar-a-lago and talk this out.

[Safe as Milk]

2. If true,

this makes the 500 soldier addition to DC garbage patrol even more senseless.

[sop]

3. One of the rare times you see "stunning" used in a headline and it's not an exaggeration.

If true, this really is stunning.

[ultralite001]

4. These kinds of scenarios...

May account for all of the attempts on Krasnov’s life as well…

Follow the $$$… follow the social media…
The truth is out there…

[Irish_Dem]

5. Trump directly benefits from this shooting.

If anyone bribed the shooter, look at Trump and his pals.

[TexasBushwhacker]

6. He benefitted from Charlie Kirk's murder as well n/t

[Irish_Dem]

36. At the very least Trump is creating a hostile, violent environment.

And makes sure everyone has guns.

Murder can flourish.

[Brother Buzz]

8. I can believe the Taliban hit squad did the threatening at

Trump et al.’s behest.

Nothing Shocks Me Anymore

[Lonestarblue]

15. And remember, it was Trump who insisted that 5,000 Taliban prisoners be released before he left office.

Those fighters then overthrew the Afghan government when Biden withdrew our troops. Had they still been in prison, the government might not have toppled and Afghanistan would be a different country today. In effect, Trump helped destroy life for Afghan women and girls. What a loser!

[Irish_Dem]

37. Trump is releasing dangerous criminals for a number of reasons.

Yes one of the reasons is that Trump has ready made mercenary soldiers at his beck and call.

[Irish_Dem]

40. Yes it is how a crime syndicate operates.

Calls in some favors to get a job done when the Mob Boss needs to keep his hands clean.

[John1956PA]

13. Yes, it is possible the theory about the Taliban is being bandied about . . .

. . . in order to conceal the true identity of the extortionists.

[Irish_Dem]

38. Yes exactly. Let's blame foreign bad guys.

To distract from the Trump Crime Syndicate criminal activity.

[NBachers]

25. Two sides of the same coin

[Irish_Dem]

39. Yes all members of the GOP/Trump/Putin crime syndicate.

[WarGamer]

7. Any legit news sources reporting this?

[W_HAMILTON]

10. Do you not consider The Daily Beast a legit news source?

[WarGamer]

12. Why not rely on AP, Reuters or NYT, Axios or ABC/CBS?

It's sad that gullible people read trash sources whether it's Palmer Report, OD, NewsMax or OAN

[canetoad]

14. From the BBC

The man accused of shooting two National Guard members in Washington DC last week spent weeks at a time alone in a dark room and suffered "manic episodes" - according to comments written in 2024 by a case worker who helped the suspect's family with their relocation after they fled Afghanistan.

https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/cj01q55lm76o

[WarGamer]

16. TYVM... so the BBC doesn't confirm the Daily Beast "claim"

[canetoad]

17. I'm still reading the BBC article

Did you see this further down in the same article?

He lived with his wife and five children in Bellingham, Washington - a state on the other side of the country from where last week's attack took place.

[WarGamer]

18. Yes. But I see no evidence he was coerced by the Taliban to commit the crime.

May or may not be true, just no evidence.

[canetoad]

19. Exactly

Although the Daily Beast says explicitly; "Either he accepted the mission, or his family in Afghanistan would be beaten, murdered, and possibly beheaded."

It's always possible that the Taliban entered the US and tracked him down, but the above sentence looks like a straight-out lie.

[Another Jackalope]

27. The DB article uses the phrase "may have been"

It draws no conclusions. Apparently the intel wonks are "investigating information " that he "may have been" threatened. That sounds to me like a completely legitimate way to put it in advance of having releasable hard evidence. We can't control the inferences that people might draw from such statements.

Source notwithstanding, I see no reason to reject the article as written.

[EdmondDantes_]

31. It's also just as easily a way to get clicks without saying anything

Especially not something that could get them sued.

Unnamed sources from a random source isn't exactly trustworthy to me. Extraordinary claims that would be at home in a movie require serious evidence, or a long history of being accurate.

[Marcuse]

9. Would the Taliban own it? Probably not.

[AdamGG]

11. They wouldn't own it

if it was a favor for Trump. That would undo their gain from it. If it was a terrorist attack like 9/11 they might own up to it, but this isn't that.

[Marcuse]

24. If so, he may double cross his benefactors with more wag the dog missiles.

[Fullduplexxx]

20. Petie is neither a war secretary nor is he a "war" secretary

Fkg " journalists"

[duckworth969]

21. Certainly worth looking into more deeply

[Deep State Witch]

22. I Knew There Was More To It

I just knew that there was more to this story. If so, it makes a whole lot of sense.

[mainer]

23. It certainly seemed like an assignment

Driving cross-country to kill 2 people he didn’t know, in a city he had no other reason to visit.

[NBachers]

26. "Hello? This is John Barron of the Taliban . . ."

[flashman13]

28. This may or may not be true, but it makes far more sense than just saying he went cookoo and went for a drive.

[usonian]

29. Is this at all related?

[RazorbackExpat]

34. This needs to be broadcast far and wide

[usonian]

35. Doing my part. I found it on DU (Sorry, I can't give credit) but please share widely.

I only hang around DU and Hacker News.

How can we do what the media seem unable or unwilling to do?

[Captain Zero]

30. At least the guy gets a trial, right,

How many parts is this on Netflix. y'all./?

[BidenRocks]

32. PTSD from helping America

[Norrrm]

33. Trump's Taliban pals.