The Philadelphia jihad gunman’s brother explodes the claim that was circulating yesterday, that the shooter was mentally ill. The shooter himself said: “I follow Allah. I pledge my allegiance to the Islamic State. That is why I did what I did.”
“Accused Gunman in Ambush of Officer Admits to Acting in the Name of Islam,” WTXF, January 8, 2016:
PHILADELPHIA (WTXF) Police say the suspect in the shooting of a Philadelphia police officer told investigators that he shot the officer in the name of Islam and pledged allegiance to the Islamic State group.
The accused gunman, identified as 30-year-old Edward Archer, ambushed Officer Jesse Hartnett as he sat in his marked cruiser at an intersection, according to police. Hartnett was struck him three times in the arm before managing to return fire, wounding Archer, who was later apprehended.
Authorities say Archer, who has addresses in Philadelphia and the suburb of Yeadon, used a stolen police gun in the crime.
Ross said Friday the gun was reported stolen from an officer’s home in October 2013 but they don’t know how many hands it passed through before being used in the Thursday night shooting.
Commissioner Ross admitted Friday while reviewing photos from the incident that he was “amazed Officer Hartnett is here with us today.”
While in custody, detectives say the man pledged his allegiance to the Islamic State, and admitted to acting in the name of Islam.
“We had the suspect upstairs, where homicide unit talked to him. Right away, he didn’t have anything to say. But then, he stated that he pledges his allegiance to Islamic State, he follows Allah and that is the reason he was called upon to do this,” said Captain James Clark, He just kept on echoing those sentiments, and he wouldn’t give us anything more than that.”
“According to him he believed that police defend laws that are contrary to the teachings of the Koran,” Commissioner Ross said Friday.
At Archer’s Lansdowne family home his brother tells FOX 29 the alleged gunman was not mentally ill and insist his brother was not connected to ISIS. Shane Archer says Edward did travel to Mecca but he believes the alleged shooting was more closely related to what he calls a mistreatment of black men than a religious statement.
Investigators believe Archer traveled to Saudi Arabia in 2011 and to Egypt in 2012, FBI special agent Eric Ruona said, and the purpose of that travel was being investigated by the FBI. But police said there was no indication anyone else was involved in the officer’s ambush
Mayor Jim Kenney said the attack wasn’t about Islam.
“In no way shape or form does anyone in this room believe that Islam or the teaching of Islam has anything to do with what we’ve just seen on that screen,” the mayor said. “This is a criminal, with a stolen gun, trying to kill one of our officers.”…