An American convert to Islam who shot two uniformed American soldiers - one of whom was killed - at a military recruiting center in Little Rock, Arkansas, reportedly searched for information about Jewish institutions on the Internet.
Abdulhakim Mujahid Muhammad, arrested on June 1, 2009, had "political and religious motives," according to Little Rock police. He has pleaded not guilty to first-degree murder. He has also been charged with 16 counts of committing a terrorist act.
Prosecutors allege that Muhammad admitted shooting the uniformed soldiers "because of what they had done to Muslims in the past" and that he "would have killed more soldiers had they been in the parking lot." Muhammad reportedly admitted that he was angry about the killing of Muslims in Iraq and Afghanistan, according to Little Rock Police Chief Stuart Thomas.
Despite a gag order, Muhammad gave an interview from prison via collect call the week following his arrest. He reportedly said he wanted revenge on the American military and that the attack was "for the sake of God, for the sake of Allah, the Lord of all the world, and also a retaliation on U.S. military." Muhammad also warned that other Muslims in this country "are going to attack."
"We believe that we have to strike back. We believe in eye for an eye. We don't believe in turning the other cheek," Muhammad said.
At the time of his arrest, Muhammad allegedly told police that he was planning to kill as many Army personnel as possible. Police found a semi-automatic rifle, a .22-caliber rifle, two pistols, Molotov cocktails, homemade silencers and approximately 100 rounds of ammunition loaded in magazines in a vest in his car.
According to the FBI, Muhammad conducted Internet searches of several "different locations in several U.S. cities," including New York, Atlanta, Louisville and Philadelphia. He used the Google Maps application to investigate these locations, which reportedly included Jewish institutions in several different cities, a day-care center, a Baptist church, a post office and other military recruiting centers.
"Out of an abundance of caution, and in light of newly discovered information, the FBI cannot rule out additional subjects, targets, or the potential for inspired copy cats who might act out in support of the original act," an alleged joint FBI-Homeland Security intelligence assessment said.
Police Chief Thomas also acknowledged that Muhammad may have been planning attacks elsewhere in his statement: "I think he was equipped and dressed and fitted out to do just about anything he wanted to do. I think there could have been a lot broader harm. Whether that would have been here or in another city or in another state, I don't know. But I think he was prepared to do more damage."
Muhammad, who previously lived in Columbus, Memphis and Nashville, moved to Little Rock in April. He was reportedly arrested on a weapons charge after a traffic stop in Nashville in February 2004, according to court documents. At the time of his arrest, police reportedly found an SKS rifle, a sawed-off shotgun and another shotgun in his car, as well as a switchblade knife, two shotgun shells and an ounce of marijuana on his person. The weapons and drug charges were later dropped.
While living in Columbus, Ohio, in 2006 and 2007, Muhammad reportedly attended Omar Ibn el-Khattab mosque, which was also frequented by three other men – Iyman Faris, Nuradin Abdi, and Christopher Paul – who were all convicted of terrorism charges in 2003, 2007 and 2008 respectively.
Muhammad was reportedly under investigation by the FBI Joint Terrorism Task Force after he was arrested and jailed in Yemen in 2007, for using a Somali passport. According to U.S. authorities, the FBI investigation was in its preliminary stages.
Muhammad, 23, was previously known as Carlos Bledsoe. He told investigators that he converted to Islam as a teenager, and his defense lawyer claims that he converted while in Yemen.
William Long, 23, died soon after the shooting, and Quinton Ezeagwula, 18, was wounded and in stable condition.
