Well, anyone can see how that would make you want to kill random pedestrians out in front of the Jewish Community Center.
There is nothing in this story about how he identified himself as a terrorist. Looks as if that one has already dropped down the memory hole. And of course, I am sure he really is a mental patient suffering from stress. But this case joins the long, long line of other cases in which questionable aspects that suggest some other motive seem somehow to disappear without a trace or an explanation.
“THE SUSPECT: Recently began arranged marriage,” from the San Francisco Chronicle, with thanks to Teri:
Omeed Aziz Popal, now in custody for a fatal hit and run rampage that apparently began in Fremont and ended in San Francisco, has a history of mental problems and lives in fear of the devil, some family members say. Other family members say he may have been anxious because of his recent marriage arranged by his family.
But those involved in the investigation — speaking on condition of anonymity — discount any mental illness, saying Popal seemed coherent, unrepentant and claimed that he repeatedly drove at pedestrians because he “just wanted to.”
A month ago, the 29-year-old Fremont resident and one-time auto worker returned home after getting married in his native Afghanistan, his family said. There was a wedding celebration two weeks ago, and Popal seemed to have everything to live for, some family members said. The family said Popal’s father had arranged the marriage.
“He was so happy and excited about being married — I can’t believe this happened today,” said Homa Aziz, a cousin who lives in Hayward. “Omeed is not that kind of boy. I don’t know what is wrong with him. He is the nicest boy.”
She said that Popal, who was studying auto mechanics at WyoTech, formerly known as the Sequoia Institute, intended to bring his wife from Afghanistan to settle in the area. “He just talked about his wife.”
Hamid Nekrawesh, another cousin, said Popal’s arranged marriage could have been stressful.
“Arranged marriage is a very common practice — people don’t kill people over that,” Nekrawesh said. “But that was the only thing new in his life.”
Popal was “a very loving, caring person,” he said. “I can never see him doing such an act.”
He said that he joked with Popal before he went to Kabul about him becoming a man. “I didn’t see anything out of the ordinary,” Nekrawesh said. “After he came back, he went to the celebration gathering at his house — he was happy.”
But another cousin, Zarghona Ramish, said Popal was having mental problems. Popal “thought the devil was coming to get him” and dreamed about bad things, Ramish said.