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Exposing the role that Islamic jihad theology and ideology play in the modern global conflicts

Muslim Air Force vet gets 35 years for trying to join the Islamic State

Jun 1, 2017 7:48 pm By Robert Spencer

“I am a Mujahid. I am a sword against the oppressor and a shield for the oppressed. I will use the talents and skills given to me by Allah to establish and defend the Islamic State.”

Yet another convert to Islam gets the idea that his new religion commands treason and mass murder. Authorities remain resolutely uninterested in examining, or even acknowledging, this phenomenon.

“In 2001, while working for American Airlines, one of Pugh’s coworkers told the FBI that Pugh ‘sympathized with Osama bin Laden, felt that the 1998 bombings of U.S. embassies overseas was justified and expressed anti-American sentiment.'”

And no one at American Airlines would have dared to question him about his sentiments regarding Islam and jihad. That would have been “Islamophobic.”

“US Air Force vet gets 35 years prison for trying to join Islamic State group,” by Lauren del Valle, CNN, June 1, 2017:

(CNN) — A U.S. Air Force veteran convicted for providing material support to the Islamic State group was sentenced to 35 years in prison Wednesday.

Tairod Pugh was convicted by a federal jury in 2016 on charges of trying to give material support to the Islamic State group and of obstruction of justice, according to the U.S. Justice Department indictment.

“The defendant turned his back on his country, and the military he once served, to attempt to join a brutally violent terrorist organization committed to the slaughter of innocent people throughout the world,” stated Acting United States Attorney Bridget Rohde.

Prosecutors allege that investigators discovered a letter on Pugh’s desktop computer saying he wanted to “use the talents and skills given to me by Allah to establish and defend the Islamic States,” and a chart of crossing points between Turkey and Syria, where the Islamic State group controls some territory.

Eric Creizman, Pugh’s lawyer, said at the time of Pugh’s conviction that he believed that there was reasonable doubt in the case.

“Our client maintained his innocence since day one, so we went to trial and put up the best fight we possibly could,” Creizman said. “It was a well tried case, an interesting case, because the whole thing was what they could glean from his state of mind from things he did, on the Internet and on the computer.”

“I think this case is good for the justice system. It’s good for the world to see that in this country, you get a trial by jury,” Creizman said. “In the Islamic State, people accused of crimes don’t get such fair treatment.”

Crossing the Middle East

Pugh, a convert to Islam, served in the Air Force from 1986 to 1990, according to the Justice Department.

Prosecutors presented evidence at the trial that Pugh traveled from Egypt to Turkey in an attempt to cross into Syria to join the Islamic State group for jihad, the news release says.

One piece of evidence was a letter Pugh wrote just before leaving for Turkey.

“I am a Mujahid. I am a sword against the oppressor and a shield for the oppressed. I will use the talents and skills given to me by Allah to establish and defend the Islamic State. There is only 2 possible outcomes for me. Victory or Martyr,” Pugh wrote in the note, prosecutors say….

In 2001, while working for American Airlines, one of Pugh’s coworkers told the FBI that Pugh “sympathized with Osama bin Laden, felt that the 1998 bombings of U.S. embassies overseas was justified and expressed anti-American sentiment,” according to his criminal complaint.

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Filed Under: air security, American jihadis, converts to Islam, Featured, Islamic State (aka ISIS, ISIL, Daesh) Tagged With: Tairod Pugh


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Comments

  1. Dave says

    Jun 1, 2017 at 8:41 pm

    “How many more”…credit to Crosby, Stills, Nash, Young, ‘Ohio’. It is a compelling plea about the Kent State murders. One could reinterpret the message to today…brutal people killing innocents.

    Dave

    • Bustinloos says

      Jun 2, 2017 at 11:03 am

      There are doubts whether the students at Kent State were killed by Guardsmen. It may have been activists trying to start a civil war. Many of those leftists then are now either in government, or teaching at state run colleges, See how gleeful they are watching the mass destruction of campuses, the racist thuggery of ignorant blacks, and the possible civil war to take down America replacing it with their Socialist Utopia. As for CSNY, what apathetic band of drugged out slobs.

    • pandainc says

      Jun 2, 2017 at 8:30 pm

      “I think this case is good for the justice system. It’s good for the world to see that in this country, you get a trial by jury,” The nobility would be better if he was now dead.

  2. gravenimage says

    Jun 1, 2017 at 9:43 pm

    Muslim Air Force vet gets 35 years for trying to join the Islamic State
    ………………..

    We are giving these Muslim thugs training to wage Jihad against us. Suicidal insanity.

    • Debi Brand says

      Jun 2, 2017 at 3:16 am

      Indeed, g.i. It is part of our inane war-plan: train, fund, arm the enemy.

      Hence our endless “Victories.”

  3. JawsV says

    Jun 1, 2017 at 9:55 pm

    I don’t think the ridiculous word “Islamophobic” was around in 2001. I think it’s quite recent, 3 or 4 years. No one knew anything about Islam and jihad in 2001, including our president, Geo W Bush.

  4. underbed cat says

    Jun 1, 2017 at 10:15 pm

    Diversity in the military….lots of potential problems such as piousness….. with.the cover of innocence accommodated by ignorance of the doctrine by leaders.

    Multiply that with educational backgrounds to enter national security, politics, medical research, etc….. and every area of important skills.

  5. Adam says

    Jun 1, 2017 at 10:20 pm

    “Terrorist”, can someone explain what that is and how do I identify one? If I join the Army and they give me a rifle and they tell me to kill the terrorists, what or whom do I kill? Is there a SOP somewhere, with pictures, that would help me spot these “terrorists”? And how is it that we wage war against such a term? I pray my grandchildren and there children again find reason for I can find very little in this day and age. Communists/Socialists/OneWorldUNers, muslims{those who follow islam}, this is who we wage war against. We are free men, created free and by God we’ll stay free. Don’t piss down my back and tell me its raining, give me a clear picture and a steady hand and plenty of ammo and we get this done and get back to life, liberty and freedom. Everybody say Amen

    • kangi_yotaka says

      Jun 1, 2017 at 11:31 pm

      *headdesk* No one tells you to “kill terrorists” in the military, ffs. That’s far too broad a category. Your small unit (fire team, platoon, etc.) would conduct small operations in a very small area, with the intent of those missions being to apprehend known bad actors. If they don’t cooperate, things change; those who demonstrate hostile intent – which in fact DOES have a SOP – can be killed. But you don’t go out just ready to mow them down.

      Good grief, no wonder most Americans don’t know the difference between Memorial Day and Veterans Day.

    • eur says

      Jun 2, 2017 at 3:36 am

      Yesterday, reading about the aircraft carriers sent to the korea area, the press article described that there were several Muslims in the fleet (they said it as if it were something positive). I am Spanish and in the army there are Muslims for years … they are a danger. All of them have moral dilemmas … they say they would not act in a Muslim country … that their religion prevents them. They continue to believe that this is a kind of holy war, that their countries are Muslim, that there are only Muslims and that they are attacked for being Muslims. Intelligence services, police, military … should not admit Muslims.

  6. RobertSpencerforPOTUS says

    Jun 1, 2017 at 10:30 pm

    Robert, why don’t you run for President (POTUS)? If Dwayne The Rock Johnson can run, or will run, then means Robert Spencer can do the same too. As you know, Trump wasn’t considered a contender, until he announced, and he had no political experience prior to that. Trump will be re-elected in 2020, so for the 2024 election year, will there be a Robert Spencer heading the Republican ticket? My vote is guaranteed for you, Robert.

    • kangi_yotaka says

      Jun 2, 2017 at 1:18 pm

      I see where you’re coming from, and Robert would make an excellent president.
      But having seen the vitriol and hate slung at presidents – especially at Trump – would you want Mr. Spencer to have to deal with that? I wouldn’t wish it on anyone.
      There’s a former Airborne soldier named Raul Sanchez who is now a comedian – he said the presidency should be like jury duty. I have to agree.
      “Aww, man – I can’t do spring break with you guys… naw, man, I got president duty.”

  7. kangi_yotaka says

    Jun 1, 2017 at 11:25 pm

    Hey, now it’s kind of on topic!: https://www.army.mil/article/188495/army_gets_first_islamic_division_chaplain
    The U.S. Army now has a Muslim chaplain at division level. Granted, at that level, he’s not going to be working directly with the rank-and-file soldiers; he’s going to be doing upper-level stuff.
    Nonetheless.
    And also:
    http://www.af.mil/News/Article-Display/Article/1179689/nevada-ang-chaplain-i-want-people-to-know-islam-is-not-evil/

  8. No Fear says

    Jun 2, 2017 at 3:32 am

    “I am a sword against the oppressor and a shield for the oppressed.”

    Oh, very poetic…but no, in fact, you are a follower of the “excellent example” of Mohammed.

    • eur says

      Jun 2, 2017 at 3:42 am

      One of the great problems with Islam is the mystique it gives to war. Describes the war against the infidels as divine, the Muslim warriors as saints .. is a huge venom decorated with glitter, very attractive to psychopaths and weak minds.

      • No Fear says

        Jun 2, 2017 at 9:11 pm

        Indeed.

  9. Charli Main says

    Jun 2, 2017 at 3:48 am

    Muslims never fail to see themselves as the ” victims” whenever non muslims try to defend themselves against Muslim aggression.

    ” stop trying to stop me raping and killing you, you kaffir aggressor”

  10. Michael Copeland says

    Jun 2, 2017 at 5:18 am

    Hear another Air Force veteran:
    “Personally, I don’t trust one Muslim in our military. [I]f they truly are a devout Muslim, and follow the Quran and the Sunnah, then I feel threatened because they’re commanded to kill me.”
    Rep. Rick Womick, Tennessee
    Hear a devout muslim:
    “I am a traitor to America because my religion requires me to be.”
    Samir Khan, of NY and NC.

  11. Jayke says

    Jun 2, 2017 at 7:20 am

    I’m sure that his real name is not the western sounding “Tairod Pugh”.

    • Donovan Nuera says

      Jun 2, 2017 at 2:11 pm

      It would be funny to be named “Hugh Pugh”. (Or at least it would funny to me)

  12. kev cass says

    Jun 2, 2017 at 9:08 am

    He missed out a third possible outcome getting banged up !!!!

  13. kev cass says

    Jun 2, 2017 at 9:47 am

    He missed the third option 35 years

  14. Buford says

    Jun 2, 2017 at 3:10 pm

    This Creep & the one who shot up Ft Hood are perfect examples of why you cant allow believers of that phony Quran in the Military.

  15. Rick says

    Jun 3, 2017 at 7:39 pm

    He should be in a cell waiting on a date with a firing squad.

  16. Terry says

    Jun 4, 2017 at 7:57 am

    Until the world gets the courage to name the enemy and tell the truth through facts this will continue to no end.

    It’s not radical islam, it’s simply islam.

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