On Thursday night, authorities reported that the father of a U.S. Marine who tragically lost his life at Kabul airport in 2021, during America’s withdrawal from Afghanistan, was arrested by U.S. Capitol Police officers. The arrest occurred due to his disruption of the State of the Union address.
The man identified by USCP is Steven K. Nikoui, aged 51.
Marine Lance Cpl. Kareem Nikoui, the son of Steve Nikoui, tragically lost his life when a suicide bomb detonated outside the airport gates in Kabul. This devastating news was confirmed through a news release from the office of Florida Rep. Brian Mast, who had the honor of hosting Nikoui as a guest at President Joe Biden’s State of the Union address.
During Biden’s speech, at around 10:15 p.m. ET, Nikoui shouted, “Abbey Gate, Abbey Gate.” Abbey Gate is the entrance to Hamid Karzai International Airport in Kabul, Afghanistan, where an ISIS-K terrorist set off a single explosive device. This devastating blast resulted in the tragic deaths of 13 U.S. service members and over 170 Afghans.
Officers approached Nikoui and instructed him to cease his actions. However, Nikoui refused to comply, resulting in his removal from the House Galleries. Subsequently, he was arrested for the offense of Crowding, Obstructing, or Incommoding. Capitol Police clarified that causing disturbances within Congressional Buildings is against the law. It’s important to note that this charge is considered a misdemeanor.
