Jackson Free Press

This morning, Abdulhakim Mujahid Muhammad, 24, a Little Rock man formerly known as Carlos Bledsoe, pleaded not guilty to first-degree murder and 15 counts of engaging in terrorist activities. Muhammad is accused of shooting to death Pvt. William Long, 24, of Conway, Ark., and wounding Pvt. Quinton Ezeagwula, 18, of Jacksonville, Ark., yesterday outside an Army/Navy recruiting center, according to CNN. Ezeagwula is in stable condition and is expected to recover.

The terrorist counts come from Muhammad's shooting at an occupied building, according to the story. Little Rock Police Chief Stuart Thomas told CNN that Muhammad converted to Islam as a teenager, and that he had "political and religious motives," for the shooting that specifically targeted military personnel. Thomas also said that police believe he was acting alone out of anger over the killing of Muslims in Iraq and Afghanistan. They recovered three weapons—a semi-automatic rifle, a .22-caliber rifle and a pistol—from his SUV.

According to a New York Times report, Muhammad has confessed to the shootings:

At the hearing, a deputy prosecutor, Scott T. Duncan, said Mr. Muhammad had told investigators that he fired repeatedly at the soldiers on Monday morning "because of what they had done to Muslims in the past."

"He stated he would have killed more soldiers if they had been in the parking lot," Mr. Duncan said, reading from a police report.

Muhammad is being held without bond. The Arkansas FBI has opened an investigation, but has not announced whether they have jurisdiction, yet. The Times story states that Muhammad may already be under an FBI investigation:

Quoting an unnamed law enforcement official, The Associated Press reported Tuesday that Mr. Muhammad had been arrested and jailed in Yemen at some point for using a Somali passport. A joint terrorism task force led by the F.B.I. has been investigating Mr. Muhammad since he returned to the United States from Yemen, the official said.

Army officials told the Times that "bomb threats and vandalism against recruiting offices are not uncommon. Last year, a small bomb shattered the glass facade of the military recruiting station in Times Square."

Previous Comments

ID

148363

Comment

I don't know about y'all, but I've had my fill of holy warriors this week.

Author

DonnaLadd

Date

2009-06-02T14:00:38-06:00

ID

148405

Comment

What's amazing is that ya'll have actually hinted he had a religious motive for the shooting. Something the "media" hasn't even wanted to touch.

Author

Ironghost

Date

2009-06-03T08:32:39-06:00

ID

148407

Comment

We're not hinting at anything Iron. The shooter said it himself if you believe the deputy prosecutor and the police reports say. Lots of news outlets are describing Muhammad as being motivated by religious and political issues.

Author

Ronni_Mott

Date

2009-06-03T08:47:30-06:00

ID

148415

Comment

Some didn't mention it, which is why I said what I did.

Author

Ironghost

Date

2009-06-03T09:38:36-06:00

ID

148417

Comment

You're right, Iron, especially the early reports. I think that at this point it's pretty much a done deal.

Author

Ronni_Mott

Date

2009-06-03T09:43:33-06:00

ID

148420

Comment

Hey, we have no reason to whitewash on this—it sounds like he's a religious zealot who committed a horrifying crime. He deserves all the condemnation he can get for twisting religion in such a way, to defend his heinous acts.

Author

DonnaLadd

Date

2009-06-03T09:55:34-06:00

ID

148512

Comment

From the reports it looks like this terrorist had every intention of killing more people. I'm glad he was caught before more lives were lost.

Author

Jeff Lucas

Date

2009-06-05T12:51:33-06:00

ID

148513

Comment

and that he had “political and religious motives,” for the shooting... I don't think that is a hint, dear. I think that's more of a baseball bat over the head. :) One thing I like about the JFP: they remove the bushes that other people beat around.

Author

Lady Havoc

Date

2009-06-05T15:38:57-06:00

ID

148518

Comment

One thing I like about the JFP: they remove the bushes that other people beat around. That's classic, Lady. Thanks!

Author

Ronni_Mott

Date

2009-06-05T18:10:13-06:00

ID

148519

Comment

I like that, too. Thanks, Lady! This is certainly our goal, and we really don't care whose bushes they are.

Author

DonnaLadd

Date

2009-06-05T18:14:55-06:00

ID

148524

Comment

Shouldn't the local Muslim community publicly denounce this shooting?

Author

Jeff Lucas

Date

2009-06-06T14:21:43-06:00

ID

148525

Comment

It'd be nice, Jeff. You won't see me holding my breath for it, however.

Author

Ironghost

Date

2009-06-06T14:44:17-06:00

ID

148527

Comment

Don't be quick to assume. The Muslim community, locally and nationally (and internationally) regularly denounce violence and extremism performed in their name. Why wouldn't they? All faithful people should do the same.

Author

DonnaLadd

Date

2009-06-06T15:13:01-06:00

ID

148528

Comment

As do Pro-Lifers, but I don't see Muslims being dragged through the mud on all the talk-shows on TV.

Author

Ironghost

Date

2009-06-06T16:00:48-06:00

ID

148531

Comment

You apparently don't watch FOX, then.

Author

DonnaLadd

Date

2009-06-06T19:11:19-06:00

ID

148532

Comment

Nope: we don't. Mostly CNN. Maybe we should, though.

Author

Lady Havoc

Date

2009-06-06T19:30:46-06:00

ID

148534

Comment

I can't remember where I heard it from, but I heard someone say that if federal authorities are being sent to guard abortion clinics, why not do the same for military recruiting offices. Good point, but people normally aren't threatened with physical violence when going into a recruiting office. Plus, logistically, there are so many recruiting offices, it'd be quite expensive to do so. Fox News is the devil, BTW.

Author

golden eagle

Date

2009-06-06T21:47:36-06:00

ID

148535

Comment

MSNBC is the PR arm of the Democratic Party, then. :D

Author

Ironghost

Date

2009-06-06T22:58:49-06:00

ID

148537

Comment

Why not just arm the recruiters? They are soldiers, they have firearms training. I would have assume somebody there was already armed.

Author

BubbaT

Date

2009-06-07T03:58:13-06:00

ID

148538

Comment

I would've assumed the same thing, Bubba. Even if they were, would they have been in the position to stop the attack?

Author

golden eagle

Date

2009-06-07T08:48:45-06:00

ID

148541

Comment

Nothing would have stopped the attack, but they could keep it from escalating into more people being killed.

Author

BubbaT

Date

2009-06-07T09:43:01-06:00

ID

148544

Comment

Ironghost, although I'm sure they don't advocate such violent acts, I also wouldn't hold my breath waiting for a statement, or a demand for one either.

Author

Jeff Lucas

Date

2009-06-07T12:50:40-06:00

ID

148545

Comment

I agree, Bubba. Condemnations (like apologies) cost nothing, and they can help.

Author

DonnaLadd

Date

2009-06-07T13:28:25-06:00