Afghan National Charged with Terroristic Threat After TikTok Video Hints at Bomb Plot Targeting Fort Worth

Fort Worth, Texas – November 29, 2025  FORT WORTH, Texas – In a chilling development that has heightened concerns over domestic security, authorities have arrested an Afghan national accused of posting a TikTok video depicting himself in the process of assembling a bomb, with apparent intentions aimed at the Fort Worth area. The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) confirmed the arrest, marking another stark reminder of the ongoing challenges in vetting and monitoring individuals resettled in the U.S. following the turbulent withdrawal from Afghanistan.

Mohammad Dawood Alokozay, 28, faces state-level charges of making a terroristic threat, according to Tarrant County court records. The suspect, who entered the United States in 2021 as part of Operation Allies Welcome – the Biden administration's rapid resettlement program for Afghan evacuees amid the U.S. military's chaotic exit from Kabul – was taken into custody earlier this week by local law enforcement in Fort Worth. DHS spokesperson Tricia McLaughlin emphasized the swift response, stating, "This arrest underscores our commitment to public safety and the vigilance of our partners in identifying and neutralizing potential threats before they escalate."

The investigation began after the video surfaced on TikTok, the popular short-form video platform, where Alokozay allegedly showcased materials consistent with bomb-making activities. While specifics of the footage remain under seal to avoid compromising the probe, sources familiar with the case described it as "disturbingly explicit," including visual cues of explosive components and verbal references to targeting local landmarks in the bustling North Texas metroplex. Fort Worth, home to over 900,000 residents and a key hub for aviation, energy, and military installations like Naval Air Station Joint Reserve Base, was explicitly named as the focal point of the threat.Alokozay, listed in public records as residing at an apartment complex on Baroque Drive in southwest Fort Worth, was detained without incident on Tuesday. He is currently being held at the Tarrant County Corrections Center on a $100,000 bond, with his initial court appearance scheduled for Monday. U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) has placed an immigration detainer on him, signaling potential federal involvement if additional charges – including material support for terrorism – are pursued.

This incident arrives amid a string of high-profile security breaches linked to Afghan evacuees. Just days ago, Rahmanullah Lakanwal, another Operation Allies Welcome participant, was identified as the suspect in the shooting of two National Guard members outside a Washington, D.C., recruitment center. Critics of the resettlement program, which airlifted more than 76,000 Afghans to the U.S. in the program's first months, have long raised alarms about inadequate background checks and cultural integration challenges. "Operation Allies Welcome was a humanitarian necessity, but it can't come at the expense of American lives," said Texas Governor Greg Abbott in a statement Friday, calling for a federal review of the program's vetting processes.

DHS, in a statement to reporters, defended the initiative while highlighting enhanced screening measures implemented since 2021. "We have screened over 100,000 individuals through multiple layers of intelligence and biometric checks," the agency noted. "This case was detected through proactive monitoring of open-source intelligence, including social media platforms like TikTok, which have become hotspots for radicalization."

Local authorities in Fort Worth, a city still reeling from a deadly 2022 police shooting and recent spikes in violent crime, expressed relief at the arrest but urged residents to remain vigilant. "Terroristic threats like this shake the foundation of our community," said Fort Worth Police Chief Jeff Halstead. "We encourage anyone spotting suspicious activity online or offline to report it immediately via our tip line."

As the investigation unfolds, federal and state agencies are combing through Alokozay's digital footprint, including communications and travel records, to determine if accomplices were involved or if the threat extended beyond rhetoric. TikTok, owned by Chinese tech giant ByteDance, has faced renewed scrutiny for its role in amplifying extremist content, with U.S. lawmakers pushing for stricter content moderation algorithms. 17GEN4