By Alia ShoaibShareNewsweek is a Trust Project memberConspiracy theories have spread online about Rahmanullah Lakanwal, the man identified as the suspect in the shooting of two National Guard members in Washington, D.C., on Wednesday, and his CIA ties.
Speculation has spread about Lakanwal, an Afghan national, after officials confirmed that he had once worked with the CIA, and social media users pointed to unusual Google Trends search activity.
Newsweek has contacted the CIA via the contact form on its website and Google via email on Thursday.
Why It Matters
Many Afghan nationals, like Lakanwal, worked with U.S. forces, including the CIA, while assisting American operations during the war in Afghanistan. However, the revelation of his links to the agency combined with unexplained Google search activity has sparked widespread online speculation.
While there is no evidence linking his previous work to the attack, the incident highlights how gaps in public understanding of national security partnerships and data patterns can fuel misinformation.
...What To Know
The Department of Homeland Security confirmed that Lakanwal came to the U.S. on September 8, 2021 under the Biden administration’s "Operation Allies Welcome program," which brought over Afghans who assisted U.S. forces following the fall of Kabul.
CIA Director John Ratcliffe confirmed to Fox News Digital that Lakanwal had worked with the U.S. government in Afghanistan, "including [with the] CIA, as a member of a partner force in Kandahar," prior to the U.S. withdrawal from the country.
Following Lakanwal’s links to the CIA being revealed, conspiracy theories spread on social media, particularly as some users pointed to unusual Google Trends activity that appeared to show his name being searched in the D.C. area prior to Wednesday’s shooting.
X user Louis Montoya shared a screenshot of Google Trends which appeared to show a spike in Lakanwal’s name being searched in D.C. in the hours before the shooting.
Another X user, James Li, noted a small amount of searches on November 20 in the D.C. area.
A search on Google Trends by Newsweek did not find the search activity shared by the posters on X, but did find a small volume of searches of Lakanwal’s name in the D.C. area on October 30 and November 4.
...Newsweek contacted Google for information about how search data is collected, and whether this could be an error or unrelated searches, for example of people with the same or similar names.
Some social media users have circulated unfounded claims suggesting that these unrelated details could imply CIA involvement in Wednesday’s shooting.
X user Lara Logan wrote: "Is the CIA behind the murder of two US soldiers near the White House? Did they direct/orchestrate this act of war?"
Another X account The Patriot Voice wrote about Lakanwal’s CIA links and the Google Trends data: "You NO longer have to guess if this is a FALSE FLAG operation, it is smacking us right in the face!!!"
Another X user Fabian Marta wrote: "His name spiked in DC searches hours before the shooting. Inside job."
What People Are Saying
CIA director John Ratcliffe told Fox News Digital: "In the wake of the disastrous Biden withdrawal from Afghanistan, 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, including CIA, as a member of a partner force in Kandahar, which ended shortly following the chaotic evacuation."
What Happens Next
Lakanwal is in custody, and it remains to be seen whether more information about his past work with the CIA will be disclosed. So far, no officials have addressed the conspiracy theories circulating online.
Request Reprint & LicensingSubmit CorrectionView Editorial & AI Guidelines
Add Newsweek as a preferred source on Google to see more of our trusted coverage when you search.Recommended For You
NewsWinter Storm Warning as 24 Inches of Snow To Strike: ‘Blizzard Conditions’4 min read
NewsUncommon Knowledge: Trump Has Biden to Thank for $274 Ozempic4 min read
NewsLouisiana’s Most Notorious Prison Hosts Daddy-Daughter Dance3 min read
NewsMap Shows US Cities Seeing Biggest Rise in Home Value3 min read
NewsWinter Storm Map Shows Where Up to 12 Inches of Snow Could Strike3 min read
WorldUkraine War Live Updates—Putin ‘Smells Blood in the Air’, Russia Praises Trump ‘Realism’3 min readRelated Podcasts
Top Stories
NewsSarah Beckstrom, Andrew Wolfe Identified as National Guard Shooting Victims4 min read
NewsUncommon Knowledge: Trump Has Biden to Thank for $274 Ozempic4 min read
NewsWinter Storm Map Shows Areas Possibly Getting Hit for Thanksgiving3 min read
NewsNational Guard Shooting Suspect Worked With CIA, Director Says3 min readWorldUkraine War Live Updates—Russia Praises Trump ‘Realism’, Putin Promises Allies New Weapons2 min read
PoliticsJD Vance’s Chances of Being 2028 GOP Nominee Plunging: Polls5 min readTrending
New York8 Million Inflation Refund Checks Sent Out Ahead of Thanksgiving4 min read
WeatherWinter Storm Warning As 20 Inches of Snow To Hit: ‘Life-Threatening’4 min read
Live BlogThanksgiving Winter Storm Live Tracker, 2,000 Flights Delayed, Up To 3 ft Of Snow Expected1 min read
Live BlogDC Shooting: Two Shot National Guard Members and Suspect Pictured—Live Updates2 min read
U.S. Economy‘Mass Blackout’ Starts Today: What to Know3 min readOpinion
OpinionConventional Wisdom: The Anti-Thanksgiving Edition3 min read
OpinionHow to Remain Grounded and Thankful Amid the Chaos5 min read
OpinionThis Thanksgiving, Affordability Isn’t Just About the Turkey. It’s Everyday, Every Bill, Every Choice | Opinion4 min read
OpinionINTERPOL Must Not Elect One of Its Chief Abusers As Its Next President | Opinion4 min read
OpinionWhy We Care About Turkey Costs | Opinion5 min read
