Providence: The US director of national intelligence has warned of a 'direct threat' from suspected terrorists now living in the US, accusing the Biden administration of allowing about 18,000 alleged known or suspected terrorists to enter the country.

According to Anadolu Agency, Tulsi Gabbard told Fox News on Saturday that the Biden administration did not take their vetting responsibilities seriously, adding that her concern is there are 'so many more that we are not aware of yet.'

Citing National Counterterrorism Center figures, Gabbard said roughly 2,000 of those individuals are Afghan nationals who entered following the 2021 US withdrawal from Afghanistan. She mentioned that alleged whistleblowers informed her they were ordered to rush screenings and not conduct thorough vetting.

Gabbard described the whistleblowers as saying they were instructed to 'hurry up, don't do the thorough vetting that you normally do because we have to hurry up and get these people into the United States.' She called the situation 'devastating' and referenced a recent shooting involving an Afghan national that resulted in the death of a National Guard soldier.

However, there is evidence suggesting the Biden administration expedited vetting due to inadequate preparations by the Trump administration for the 2021 US withdrawal from Afghanistan, under a deal reached by US President Donald Trump himself. Following the chaotic withdrawal, a report by officials under then-President Joe Biden stated he had been 'constrained by Trump's pledge during his first term to withdraw US troops from the country, and by inadequate planning by Trump, including for getting out local US allies who might be targeted by the Taliban.'

Arab News reported this as a 'fair criticism,' highlighting that 'the Trump administration had four years to ramp up the process to provide Special Immigrant Visas or other options for the US' Afghan allies; instead, it slowed the process and degraded much of the system designed to review, process and assist such refugees.'

Although many Afghans now in the US were allies of American forces fearing Taliban targeting, there is no evidence that the vast majority are anything but law abiding, despite the recent shooting incident.

Shooting at Brown University

At least two people were killed and nine initially hospitalized Saturday in a shooting at Brown University in the US city of Providence in the Northeastern state of Rhode Island, officials said.

Providence Mayor Brett Smiley reported that seven of those injured are hospitalized in stable condition, while another remains in critical but stable condition. One victim has already been released from the hospital.

Authorities on Sunday detained a suspect linked to the shooting, said a spokesperson for the mayor.

Authorities said the initial emergency call was received shortly after 4 pm (2100GMT) Saturday local time, prompting an immediate response by Brown University police, followed by Providence police, firefighters, and emergency medical teams.

Authorities said multiple agencies are involved in the response, including state police, the FBI, and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF). Officials stated that federal and local agencies are coordinating closely as the investigation remains active.