“It’s Islam over everything,” Douglas McAuthur McCain wrote — and yet virtually all Western non-Muslim authorities would insist that he misunderstood Islam and should never have thought that he could live out his religion by waging jihad for the Islamic State. So where did he get this idea? And what are American Muslim organizations doing to ensure that more converts like McCain don’t misunderstand their new religion and get the idea that jihad has something to do with waging war against unbelievers? Why, they’re doing nothing, nothing at all. And no one seems to mind.
“American Douglas McAuthur McCain Dies Fighting for ISIS in Syria,” by Cassandra Vinograd and Ammar Cheikh Omar, NBC News, August 26, 2014:
The battle in itself seemed tragically normal. Two Syrian opposition groups fought and there were heavy casualties on both sides. Then victorious rebels rifled through the pockets of the dead. One contained about $800 in cash — and an American passport.
Douglas McAuthur McCain, of San Diego, California, was killed over the weekend fighting for the Islamic State of Iraq and al-Sham (ISIS), according to the Free Syrian Army. Photos of McCain’s passport and of his body — which feature a distinctive neck tattoo — have been seen by NBC News. According to an activist linked to the Free Syrian Army who also saw the body and travel document, McCain was among three foreign jihadis fighting with ISIS who died during the battle.
Senior administration officials told NBC News they were aware that McCain was killed in Syria, adding that they believe dozens of Americans have gone there to fight with extremist groups – including, but not limited to, ISIS.
“The threat we are most concerned about to the homeland is that of fighters like this returning to the U.S. and committing acts of terrorism,” a senior administration official told NBC News.
NBC News has contacted several members of McCain’s family and dozens of friends – including his mother, sister, aunts and cousins. A woman who said she was McCain’s aunt confirmed that he had “passed” and referred calls to McCain’s mother.
McCain, 33, called himself “Duale ThaslaveofAllah” on Facebook and his Twitter bio reads: “It’s Islam over everything.” But how did this would-be rapper go from shooting hoops in a blue-collar area of Minnesota to dying in the civil war thousands of miles from home? This is his story — one shared in part by only a “small handful” of Americans believed to be fighting in Syria with ISIS.
A profile photo taken from the Facebook page of a man calling himself “Duale ThaslaveofAllah” has been identified by NBC News as Douglas McAuthur McCain, 33, an American who killed over the weekend in Syria.
‘He Was a Goofball in High School’Douglas McAuthur McCain was born in Illinois on Jan. 29, 1981. His family later moved to Minnesota’s Twin Cities area where he attended Robbinsdale Cooper High School in New Hope as part of the class of 1999.
Classmates at the school – which was described to NBC News as around 75 percent white and 10 percent African American – recalled an “always smiling” joker who liked to laugh and play basketball. McCain wasn’t on the high school team and didn’t come across as religious, according to one basketball buddy.
“He was a goofball in high school,” that classmate told NBC News. “Doug was a fun guy to be around. Played basketball, joked a lot, had a small sense of humor. Got along with most … Wasn’t the best athlete, but liked to play.”
Another classmate recalled going to teen nights on Fridays at the local YMCA to play basketball and dance. McCain “was a good guy who loved his family and friends,” the classmate said. “He would be the light in anyone’s darkness. He always made you smile with his goofy self.”
After he graduated, McCain stuck around the Twin Cities for at least a while. Public records searches show several run-ins with the law. One mugshot of a Douglas McAuthur McCain details an arrest in 2000 at the age of 19 in New Hope on charges of disorderly conduct. Another arrest record – also from New Hope – shows the same man was arrested again in 2006 and booked on charges of obstruction. The mugshot from that arrest also clearly appears to be McCain – and has the same neck tattoo that is seen in Facebook photos of McCain on his “Duale ThaslaveofAllah” account – and the body found on the Syrian battlefield. NBC News confirmed on Tuesday that he was convicted of both charges.
Around 2004, McCain “reverted” to Islam, according to his Twitter feed.
‘He Respected My Christianity’McCain’s devotion to his faith was evident to many who met him on his travels, which included at least one trip to Sweden to rap – making friends and basketball buddies along the way. Several Swedes told NBC News that they met him on a visit there – between three and four years ago – when he performed in the town of Vasteras, near Stockholm and attended an underground rap show.
Kevin Törnström Kohlin remembered seeing McCain’s basketball skills on display at a game in Vasteras – and bonding over a shared love of Rick Ross and Ace Hood.
“He’s a good dribbler, passer and great at taking care of the phase of the game when he got the ball,” Kohlin told NBC News. “He was like a really nice guy. He smiles a lot and brings a lot of good energy.”
“We would talk just a little bit about religion,” Kohlin added. “He respected my Christianity.”
At some point, McCain moved to California. His Facebook profile states that he studied at San Diego City College; it was not immediately clear if he had graduated.
Until early last year, a Twitter account linked to McCain included mostly mundane messages to friends about basketball – how the Lakers suck, comments about the Chicago Bulls – with only a few messages about Allah or Islam. The most political it got appeared to be a #FreeGaza tweet on Jan 2, 2013. There was also a message posted around the same time, with an image of a woman in a burqa and the words “there is nothin like a mother love.” Then the account went silent for more than a year.
Sometime in between, McCain reportedly worked at a Somali restaurant in San Diego – African Spice – and was known around the Masjid Nur mosque, according to an acquaintance.
“He was a normal guy, who was social, open-minded, like to smile always, and always wanted to be a good Muslim,” the acquaintance from the restaurant said.
McCain’s online life also painted the picture of a devout Muslim who deeply loved his family – along with Pizza Hut and hip-hop. His likes on Facebook ranged from “Quaran and Hadith” to “The Khilafah in Universe,” “A Way to Paradise” to “Craziest Street Fights,” “The American Comedy Co.” to “The Black Flag.”
“Allah keeps me going day and night. Without Allah, I am no one,” read one photo post. Others took a darker turn – posts featured the black flag of ISIS and other militant propaganda photos. In September 2010, he posted an ominous image: “They are coming back soldiers of Allah.”
A MySpace profile linked to Duale – and with the same images as elsewhere on social media – contains similar messages, with pictures of the sometime rapper striking poses. In one photo, he clutches a Quran. “The quran is all I need in this life of sin,” reads another caption.
‘I’m With the Brothers Now’When McCain’s Twitter account sprung back into activity on May 13, the messages again spoke of Islam.
“I reverted to Islam 10 years ago and I must say In sha Allah I will never look back the best thing that ever happen to me,” he posted. McCain – or Duale, as he had come to be known – then appeared to strike up online friendships with several self-proclaimed jihadis.
On April 3, McCain retweeted the full English translation of the speech of Abu Muhammad al-Adnani – the spokesman for ISIS.
Soon after, it appears that McCain’s travels took him to Turkey, a common jihadi route into Syria. Three people told NBC News that they met McCain – who they referred to as Duale – three months ago in in the Istanbul neighborhood of Sultanahmet. Two said they met him at the Burger King, where they ate and talked about the NBA.
U.S. officials have said “a small handful” of Americans are believed to be fighting with ISIS. Earlier this month, a new ISIS propaganda video claimed to feature an American citizen. And in July, chilling video emerged purporting to show the first American to carry out a suicide attack in Syria burning his U.S. passport and issuing threats against the West. The video of Moner Mohammad Abusalha, who grew up in Florida, underscored concerns about the flow of foreign fighters to Syria.
Those have been amplified by an ISIS video narrated by an apparent Westerner and showing the beheading of American journalist James Foley – and the story of McCain.
On June 9, Duale wrote to an alleged ISIS fighter on Twitter: “I will be joining you guys soon.” He also asked if another self-proclaimed ISIS fighter had made it to “r town” – an apparent reference to Raqqa, the militants’ Syrian stronghold.
Then came another post: “I’m with the brothers now.” Later, he retweeted: “It takes a warrior to understand a warrior. Pray for ISIS.”
His final Twitter post was last Tuesday.
Champ says
American convert to Islam killed
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Killed? No tears from me …
And “American” in name only because he’s a coward, and only cowards choose the way of islam.
Champ says
…a coward and a TRAITOR!
kikorikid says
Yes, an Islamist Traitor, Bye.
Champ says
“Bye”
Yeah, good riddance to this evil perp; and normally we say RIP, but all he gets from me is RIH!
RKM says
OWG, are they not already?
Nidal Hassan is still alive, is he not?
When the time comes we will be at the same formation.
The battle for freedom rages on.
somehistory says
Wondering if he had that dead stare from his eyes before he “reverted”?
Uri says
From Sultan Knish:
After over a thousand years, after its own empires and conquests stretching around the world, after endless religious schools, reform movements, theological debates and splinter groups, Islam is not able to leave its gang roots behind. It is still at its core a gang religion. That is why it appeals so well to convicts who recognize that they are interacting with something far more ancient than Kingism.
That is also why Islam, like most street gangs, degenerates so readily into internecine violence. No matter how much its devotees dream of conquering the decadent West and planting the black flag of Islam everywhere, they can’t help turning their guns on each other, because gangs are naturally primed to fight amongst themselves. The gang code never suffices to settle disputes among men who live by violence. They may fight to impose Islamic law on the world, but they can’t live by it.
Syria is Islam at its most primal with gangs fighting over the ruins of cities, small groups joining up, Shiite and Sunni militias killing each other, Free Syrian Army and Al Nusra Front gangs fighting over bakeries and pipelines, an endless stream of recruits from around the world rushing to join up in a gang war that has claimed over 100,000 lives.
Wtf? says
Good post. Very succinct observation of “lost boys”. Noticed they have ground to a halt and not much happening? If the US are quick they should cut off their funds by bombing those oil fields and then wait. Five years of stalemate should sort out the jihad boys. Lol
Alarmed Pig Farmer says
Another fallen “hero” in the “struggle”; Mo is proud up in Jannat
It’s Islam over everything, it’s all consuming, it is the holy sacred Cause,
The Cause of Islam, over Infidels and infidelity ideas, and violated Sharia laws,
He didn’t convert 10 yrs ago, he reverted, backward and downward in life,
To piety, obtrusive correctitude, barbarity, greed, lust, bloodlust… to strife.
RKM says
HP-APF: That’s what I’m talking about.
Bring it back, let the poetic juices flow Sir. Don’t pull any punches: I want old school APF lyrics or nothing at all!
Tell CGW I said ALOHA!
R/ Roderick MacUalraig
JamesonRocks says
Excellent. This is one we don’t need to worry about returning to the USA…
Oliver says
I agree.
One issue that I have– NOT with you or any of the other posters–
His desecrating the name ( by having it) of (in my view) a GREAT AMERICAN PATRIOT–Douglas MacArthur. (And, I did not notice)–was McCain his REAL last name, or so9mething he picked up?
If the latter, regardless of one’s views of McCain–NOW, he did serve honorably AND REFUSE SPECIAL TREATMENT as a POW.
This slime is (or was) just a loser.
David says
Sometimes war is good for something. Great that he won’t return to the United States.
Beagle says
“Interests: Quran and Hadith”
Whatever. It’s a total mystery how this neck-tatooed, basketball-loving, self-described “goofball” ended up fighting in Syria.
Beagle says
I am sure he was poor, marginalized, reacting to Gitmo, and US bombings of terrorists.
/ peace studies major off
Also, others described him as goofy. Redact “self”.
Richie says
now he can enjoy his 79 raisins.
What a dripping skidmark on society
Oliver says
I thought 72.
Or does he get an extra 7 because he shot hoops? You know, as an athlete- gets extras.
Wellington says
One more malicious fool down but, ah, so many yet to go. May all of them go sooner rather than later to their 72 virgins or 72 raisins or whatever the hell nonsense Islam teaches about the afterlife for people deluded enough to think Islam the true faith.
Islam is not only malicious, it is ridiculous. Emphasizing both of these aspects of Islam is better than focusing on only one of them, though certainly the malevolence of Islam should take priority over its many risible features.
jewdog says
Americans who join ISIS and then don’t come back are helping to improve the gene pool.
Beagle says
Ian Tuttle, over at NR, totally ignores, denies actually, the Islamic beliefs of this particular Islamic jihadi and delivers a magnificent example of why we’re in big trouble.
http://www.nationalreview.com/article/386359/profile-jihadist-ian-tuttle#comments
“Liberal democracy, primarily concerned with restraining man’s worst inclinations, offers no resolution to that predicament. Enter youngsters of a certain familiar type — per Hannan, “male, typically in their twenties or early thirties, with some education, narcissistic, lacking in empathy, lonely, unsuccessful with women, often with a history of petty crime” — and familiar existential distress is easily perverted into heavenward aspirations. This is the type who becomes a terrorist: not the especially pious or the fanatically righteous but the beset — whose psychopathologies turn them the wrong way in their very human desire to reconcile themselves to mortality and injustice (in sum, to the human condition) — and the empty, who look for transcendence in a mundane cause and find there their raison d’être. The degree of their brutality is a function of the zealousness of their pursuit.”
I tried to write some sense into his head in the comments.
Xipe says
Hard to agonize of this fool’s life and death. One can only hope he didn’t kill anyone in his insane devolution to madness.
Oliver says
Xipe–I somewhat disgaree with you.
I too hope that he did not murder any innocent people. HOWEVER, if he killed Al-Queida people; ISIS; those who support them; any hamas and (or) hezbollah terrorists, then he did another good thing ( besides getting killed, and as mentioned, improving the gene pool).
Rojm says
It is ironic that his last name is McCain. Sen. McCain has been pushing for years air strikes in Syria against Assad. Now there will be air strikes for Syria but in IS territory which is against Assad. Glad we did not do air strikes on Assad and hope we do not. So Sen. McCain was wrong for supporting these “rebels” and this jihadist was also wrong for supporting the “rebels”.
fair_dinkum says
this is wonderful news. i’m giggling..
lets take to the streets and pass out candy!
The Islamist says
Do u know how we muslims are happy when we hear news about dogs killed while waging crusades in Iraq or elsewhere?
Beagle says
You say dog like it’s an insult. Figures you’d hate unconditional love, loyalty, and working many jobs.
Go martyr yourself in Iraq or Syria, munafiq. Why do you cling to this world instead of going forth in Allah’s cause?
The Islamist says
American converts to Christianity (from Animism) killed waging crusade for NATO in Iraq, Afghanistan….
What’s the difference? only in observers and critics.
Laura says
The ‘difference’ is that the ‘Crusaders’ in Iraq didn’t give the locals the choice of ‘convert, or die,’ neither did they behead children, rape little girls or conduct themselves like rabid dogs.
FatherJon says
McCain is only one of hundreds of foreign jihadis, quite a few of whom are returning home in body bags. From Australia, France, Norway, Belgium, Austria, UK inter alia, these disgruntled, misled youth are following false idols. Where have their families gone so wrong in their upbringing?
Godfrey Kemal says
Islamic State is but a symptom and the disease is RADICAL ISLAM.
The USA and EU need to refocus from anti-terrorism to ANTI-RADICAL ISLAM, fighting symptoms does not cure any disease.
Until that happens more “symptoms” will emerge and grow like the malignant tumor Radical Islam is.
Kill this evil ideology and the rest will fall naturally.
BC says
The attitude of our ‘leaders’ defies logic. He converts to a religion but he is not motivated by the religion when he is jihadi for the IS. So why does he convert to Islam in the first place?
Arkady Renko says
Where did he get the money to wage jihad? This traitor was a restaurant worker who never finished high school. Where did he get the money to travel to Sweden, Canada, Turkey and Syria? All of these places are islamist breeding grounds. Someone or some organization is supporting maggots like these guys.
David says
My belief is that the government has been covering up the deaths of Americans in Syria and Iraq because it would undermine their immigration plans. Don’t you find it ironic that the first American killed was presumably named after General Douglas McArthur? Isn’t it much more likely that several Somali, Palestinian and Pakistani immigrants have been killed and that the State Department has covered up those deaths?