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D.C. Shooting Suspect ‘Could Not Tolerate’ the Violence of His C.I.A.-Backed Unit in Afghanistan, a Childhood Friend Said
The New York Times ^ | Julian E. BarnesHamed AleazizElian Peltier and Safiullah Padshah

Posted on 11/27/2025 5:21:07 PM PST by E. Pluribus Unum

The C.I.A. and an Afghan intelligence official said that the shooter had been part of an Afghan “partner force,” known as a Zero Unit, trained and supported by the agency in the southern province of Kandahar.

The Afghan refugee accused of shooting two National Guard members in Washington, D.C., fought in the late days of the U.S. war there as part of a “Zero Unit,” a paramilitary force that worked with the C.I.A., according to a person briefed on the investigation and an Afghan intelligence officer familiar with the matter. The units were known for their brutality and labeled “death squads” by human rights groups.

The suspect, identified by federal officials as Rahmanullah Lakanwal, 29, grew up in a village in the eastern province of Khost. A childhood friend, who asked to be identified only as Muhammad because he feared Taliban reprisals, said that Mr. Lakanwal had suffered from mental health issues and was disturbed by the casualties his unit had caused.

“He would tell me and our friends that their military operations were very tough, their job was very difficult, and they were under a lot of pressure,” Muhammad said.

The suspect received asylum from the U.S. government in April, according to three people with knowledge of the case who were not authorized to speak publicly.

Members of the Zero units were among the thousands of Afghans relocated to the United States under the Biden administration after the chaotic withdrawal of U.S. troops in August 2021, which allowed the Taliban to retake control of the country. Federal officials said Mr. Lakanwal was part of that program and had resettled with his family in Washington State.

“The Biden administration justified bringing the alleged shooter to the United States in September 2021 due to his prior work with the U.S. government,...

(Excerpt) Read more at nytimes.com ...


TOPICS: Crime/Corruption
KEYWORDS: aleaziz; anonymoussources; barnes; brainlesspottymouth; bullshit; elianpeltier; enemieslist; enemyjournalists; hamedaleaziz; julianbarnes; julianebarnes; nytimes; nytsedition; nyttreason; padshah; peltier; rahmanullahlakanwal; safiullahpadshah; zerounit
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1 posted on 11/27/2025 5:21:07 PM PST by E. Pluribus Unum
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To: E. Pluribus Unum

That makes about as much sense as a football bat.


2 posted on 11/27/2025 5:23:08 PM PST by blueunicorn6 ("A crack shot and a good dancer” )
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To: E. Pluribus Unum

Firing Squad and buried in a pig skin


3 posted on 11/27/2025 5:25:11 PM PST by butlerweave (Fateh)
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To: E. Pluribus Unum
Mr. Lakanwal had suffered from mental health issues and was disturbed by the casualties his unit had caused

Of course, he had no concern for the thousands and thousands of innocent people who have been killed or maimed by bloodthirsty Muslims in the name of their imaginary deity.

4 posted on 11/27/2025 5:27:03 PM PST by Fresh Wind (Charlie Kirk: "If you strike me down, I shall become more powerful than you can possibly imagine")
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To: E. Pluribus Unum

and therefore...

Kill people who are committed to keeping ordinary citizens in America safe from murderous, insane thugs?

Not a coherent thought process but
the NYT would likely be confused about the motive too.

we may never know...


5 posted on 11/27/2025 5:27:47 PM PST by epluribus_2 (!)
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To: butlerweave
Can we have twofer? Both Raggy and his childhood friend too?

6 posted on 11/27/2025 5:28:17 PM PST by Governor Dinwiddie ( O give thanks unto the Lord, for He is gracious, and his mercy endures forever. — Psalm 106)
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To: E. Pluribus Unum

Standard MSM whitewash article. Let’s see

He was a good boy
He loved his momma
He was going to be a famous rapper some day.
America’s “broken” immigration system failed him.
He was supporting his 15 member family back home.
He had a wonderful sense of humor and all his neighbors loved him.


7 posted on 11/27/2025 5:28:58 PM PST by PGR88
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To: E. Pluribus Unum

So he is one of thousands of trained killers brought here by Biden.


8 posted on 11/27/2025 5:29:03 PM PST by ladyjane
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To: PGR88

Everybody knows that NY Times articles are written by pink haired, nose ring wearing, former sorority girls. So I don’t understand why we keep on referring to them.


9 posted on 11/27/2025 5:34:59 PM PST by jroehl (And how we burned in the camps later - Aleksandr Solzhenitsyn - The Gulag Archipelago)
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To: ladyjane

But Elissa Slotkin is cloaked in authority because she formerly worked at the CIA. I don’t understand.


10 posted on 11/27/2025 5:35:25 PM PST by Wally_Kalbacken
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To: E. Pluribus Unum

The New York Times?

Double Bag Barf Alert.

They try to soft soap this Islamist Terrorist.

No sympathy here.


11 posted on 11/27/2025 5:36:06 PM PST by Texas Fossil (Texas is not about where you were born, but a Free State of Heart, Mind and Attitude.)
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To: E. Pluribus Unum

Look at the names that wrote this crap


12 posted on 11/27/2025 5:39:08 PM PST by digger48
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To: E. Pluribus Unum

As expected, here comes the LEFTIST MEDIA sob stories about the Afghan murderer.


13 posted on 11/27/2025 5:42:15 PM PST by Presbyterian Reporter
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To: E. Pluribus Unum

“””A childhood friend, who asked to be identified only as Muhammad because he feared Taliban reprisals, said””””


As Trump would say: “Fake News-—another made up story concocted without any way to prove or disprove”


14 posted on 11/27/2025 5:45:30 PM PST by Presbyterian Reporter
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To: E. Pluribus Unum

Three authors, the first tell that what follows is fake journalism to cover up some leftwing political faux pas.

How does a journalist determine who is (and who isn’t) a “childhood friend” of an Afghan terrorist? Ask the Taliban foreign ministry?

Do real CIA operatives talk about their work to chatty people who would even consider talking to journalists?

No. They don’t even talk to their families. Those who talk, don’t know. And those who know, don’t talk.


15 posted on 11/27/2025 5:46:12 PM PST by piasa (Attitude adjustments offered here free of charge)
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To: piasa

Oops, 4 authors, definitely nonsense


16 posted on 11/27/2025 5:48:21 PM PST by piasa (Attitude adjustments offered here free of charge)
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To: digger48

D.C. Shooting Suspect ‘Could Not Tolerate’ the Violence of His C.I.A.-Backed Unit in Afghanistan, a Childhood Friend Said
The New York Times ^ | Julian E. Barnes, Hamed Aleaziz, Elian Peltier and Safiullah Padshah


When NYT publishes fictional stories, it takes a lot of staff to make sure the story does not have any flaws in it.


17 posted on 11/27/2025 5:49:14 PM PST by Presbyterian Reporter
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To: piasa

Actually four authors because I missed a comma.

But your point stands.


18 posted on 11/27/2025 6:06:46 PM PST by E. Pluribus Unum (I have no answers. Only questions.)
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To: jroehl

“Everybody knows that NY Times articles are written by pink haired, nose ring wearing, former sorority girls. So I don’t understand why we keep on referring to them.”

No matter how much you should hate the NYT it isn’t enough.


19 posted on 11/27/2025 6:07:31 PM PST by willk (Local news media. Just as big an enemy to this country as national media)
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To: butlerweave
Firing Squad with bullets dipped in lard and buried in a pig skin.

Improved.

20 posted on 11/27/2025 6:18:45 PM PST by lightman (Beat the Philly fraud machine the Amish did onest, ja? Nein, zweimal they did already!)
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