The statements from those in the mosque are presented here — as always — without question, without the slightest idea that they may be not quite on the level. It never seems to occur to contemporary “journalists” that the story they are being told by people who have an obvious interest in making sure they are not implicated in criminal activity may not be one that is entirely honest or reliable. Certainly it may be honest, but we get no hint of skepticism or any attempt at fact-checking from Nicholas Clayton and John Hanna, who would no doubt be highly skeptical of the self-description of any counter-jihadists.
“Man accused of Kansas bomb plot described as outspoken on Islam but strange and troubled,” by Nicholas Clayton and John Hanna, Associated Press, April 11, 2015:
TOPEKA, Kansas — John T. Booker Jr. struck others as strange or even troubled but also as a young man not shy about discussing his faith as a Muslim or debating Islamic philosophy at the Topeka mosque he attended. His name tag at his last job identified him as Muhammad.
But the 20-year-old Topeka resident told a confidante who was in fact an FBI informant six months ago that he wasn’t liked at his mosque because he expressed support for the terrorist group al-Qaida — views that would have gotten him barred, according to the imam. The cleric said the FBI brought Booker to the mosque last year, said he had a mental health disorder and sought counseling to turn him from views behind Facebook postings about plans to die in a jihad.
Do “journalists” ever attempt to fact-check such statements? Or do they simply always take them at face value?
Even amid the counseling, Booker was in contact with two FBI informants portraying Islamic State group sympathizers, according to a criminal complaint filed in federal court. Authorities said Booker was arrested Friday trying to arm what he thought was a 1,000-pound bomb outside Fort Riley, about 70 miles west of Topeka.
Booker’s interest in Islam appears to have begun in high school, where he also was a member of the Junior ROTC at Topeka West High School, according to fellow cadet Alfonso Gonzalez. But Gonzalez said jihadist postings by Booker on Facebook last year were surprising and his arrest, shocking.
“I never heard anything radical or critical of the government or the Army,” Gonzalez, now a 20-year-old computer science student at Kansas State University, said Saturday. “He struck me as pretty harmless.”
Booker is charged with three federal crimes, including attempting to use a weapon of mass destruction.
Kansas’ top federal prosecutor also charged another Topeka man, Alexander E. Blair, 28, with failing to report Booker’s plans to authorities. The complaint against Blair alleges he loaned Booker money to rent space to build and store a bomb.
Iman Omar Hazim said Blair began showing up at the Islamic Center of Topeka beginning about two months ago and was clearly acquainted with Booker.
The imam said of Booker, “He liked to get into debates with other people in the Islamic center about philosophical differences within Islam.”
And congregation member Dawar Saeed, a 68-year-old retired engineer, said Booker appeared to be “a teenager needing some guidance.”
In the past few months, Booker worked at a Topeka-area Wal-Mart but left the job Wednesday, company spokesman Brian Nick said Saturday, declining to discuss the details of Booker’s departure. The criminal complaint against Booker said he arranged to have the FBI informants build his bomb the same day he left Wal-Mart.
Nick said Booker’s paperwork was under that name but he asked to be called Muhammad. The criminal complaint said Booker had an alias — he corrected the spelling during a court hearing — of Muhammad Abdullah Hassan.
Gonzalez, who was in JROTC class with Booker during their senior high school year, in 2011-12, said Booker argued with some students who criticized him for his faith.
“He was usually pretty loud. He was always talking to somebody,” Gonzalez said. “People thought he was a little strange.”
Hazim said the FBI told him early in 2014 that Booker suffered from bipolar disorder, characterized by unusual mood swings.
Hazim said Booker told him days before his arrest that he stopped taking medication partly because it was expensive. The imam added that most people who see Booker “recognize that there are some mental problems there.”
Again, why do “journalists” always take such statements at face value, rather than trying to determine just how involved the jihadist really was in the local mosque?
The criminal complaint against Booker said he told an FBI informant in October that he clashed with other mosque members over supporting extremist groups. Hazim said he never heard Booker express support for any violent extremist group.
But Hazim said he received an anonymous call about two months ago about Facebook posts from Booker, again speaking about becoming a martyr in jihad. The imam stopped giving Booker rides to the center and work, but Booker continued to attend prayers and activities at the center.
“I had a sense of him drifting and I had seen him just drifting into space and he would have a real deep grin on his face like he was thinking of something that would make him laugh,” Hazim said.
mortimer says
For every jihadist, there are at least 1,000 jihad supporters. In every Western country individually, there are now from thousands to hundreds of thousands of jihad supporters. A total of one to two million jihad supporters are living in Europe and the Americas combined. The West has an army of potential jihadists and these countries are importing more potential killers. Madness.
mortimer says
“When I examined the Koran and hadiths under my microscope, I came to the absolute conviction that it is impossible…impossible…for any human being to read the biography of Mohammed and believe in it, and then emerge a psychologically and mentally healthy person.” – Dr. Wafa Sultan, M.D., psychiatrist
Anthony says
@mortimer… Dr Sultan is dead right about it. for the time being, lucky for us, the infidels kufffar that most of moslem are doing just the basic principle of Islam ( praying shallat, go to mosque, hajj, etc ), but when they start to dig in the hadits, the biography of mo, and trying to copy his actions, then the world will turn to hell
particolor says
Did You read between the Microbes ? 🙂
David says
A false assumption and not very scientific at all. Millions of Baha’is have Prophet Muhammad and the Quran as one of their core beliefs and the Baha’i Faith is the most tolerant religion in the world and its people are lovers of mankind.
We read and study the Quran and the life of Muhammad but we get our interpretation of the Quran from Baha’u’llah Who is the Promised One of all Faiths not mullahs or hadiths which are known to be inaccurate and are not the Word of God and there are no terrorists or jihadists amongst us.
There are millions more Baha’is in the world than there are terrorists and we don’t suffer from any psychological disorders because we believe in the Quran and Muhammad.
It depends on which interpretation you accept as truth. We accept the interpretations given by Baha’u’llah no-one else.
Fr. Basil` says
Why are so many apprehended mahometan jihadistas mentally disturbed or otherwise troubled?
Joseph says
Because Islam is a seed of evil that corrupts and twists the mind. Liken it to a drug that does permanent damage to the brain causing tunnel vision, paranoia and a murderous rage at imaginary threats. It also installs visions of grandeur via violent suicide.
Mirren10 says
Well, Mr Jihadski, I must disagree.
I admit I don’t see what it has to do with islam, and the rhyme and metre are awful, but as a *situation*, I thought it was hilarious !
Something rather similar happened to me, once. I’d bought a newspaper for the crossword, whilst waiting for the train to start. I picked it up off the table, and started doing the crossword. Finished it, and then to my horror discovered *my* paper was in my bag, and the paper I’d picked up, and finished the crossword therein, obviously belonged to the bloke sitting across from me.
Cue sickly grin, and embarrassed apology ! 🙂 He was very nice about it, though.
Ashley says
I do hope Robert has a pulse on this Michael Atwood. The young dude is garnering extensive exposure on social media, and sadly, receiving high praise for converting to Islam.
I thank you again for bringing Michael Atwood to our attention, Jayson. This is pretty intense stuff.
Davegreybeard says
Thank you for your kind words Philip, and my God keep your warrior spirit fresh and true.
An honest man has permission to stop fighting tyranny, when he stops breathing.
My latest project is a PowerPoint on Islam. I’ll tell you more about it and how and why I got started on it and how I plan to use it, later on this thread.
My son and grandson have just arrived for our appointment to play paintball.
Walter Sieruk says
This young Muslim man actually wanted of become a suicide/homicide bomber. This must of also meant the he really believed in the odd and strange Islamic doctrine from the Koran,44:54. 55:56. 78:31.,of a sex-filled paradise with many virgins, houris, in it for the male Muslim who dies in the jihad as a “martyr.” This far-fetch and outlandish Koranic doctrine of a place with virgins has inspired Muslim male to commit much murder and mayhem. In other words, this bizarre and weird Koranic doctrine has cause much murderous chaos. As the French philosopher , Voltaire, wrote “As long as man continue to believe in absurdities they will continue to commit atrocities.”
Jack Gordon says
When a cheap shill for the Clinton family like George Stephanopoulos is regularly thought of as a ”journalist” it shouldn’t surprise anyone that standards for that profession have gone down the toilet. Ditto for Diane Sawyer, Barbara Walters, and the host of phonies and liars who get a paycheck from PBS, NBC, CNN, etc. ad nauseum.
Davegreybeard says
So here’s the deal Philip.
I went to our local police department to discuss a charity program that I was supporting and found myself talking to a Lieutenant, that I had met previously. After our business was finished, I said that I had been meaning to talk to him about Islam.
He let me go on for quite awhile. He eventually mentioned that “my timing was pretty good” in that “they” were in the process of considering instruction for the hostage negotiation team on Islam. He asked me if I had any experience in teaching and I replied that I had a fair amount and was currently a part time instructor. So I asked how long he expected the class to be and he said 2 – 3 hours. When I left I gave him one of my leaflets on Islam
Imagine for a moment Philip, if you were given 2 – 3 hours to present a class on Islam to a group of policemen.
So, I have not been asked, but I am putting the program together. It may not happen for a while, but I plan on being ready if the opportunity ever presents itself.
What do you think?
ConnectingDots says
President Obama,
If you had a son, would he look like John T. Booker, Jr.?
If not, why not?
Discuss.