The D.C. Snipers: Islamofascists After All

FrontPageMagazine ^ | 12/09/03 | PowerLineBlog.com

[kattracks]

While the D.C. snipers were on the loose, there was speculation about whether the murders were another instance of Islamic terrorism. (Not from the authorities, of course, who were fixated on finding a white man in a white van.) When the snipers were caught, and the adult turned out to be John Muhammad, a converted Muslim who, among other things, had shot up a synagogue, one might have expected such speculation to re-surface. But for the most part, it didn't, and reference to the snipers' Muslim faith has been studiously avoided in the mainstream press.

Now Lee Malvo is on trial, and his lawyers have introduced into evidence a number of drawings which he made while incarcerated. As a trial lawyer, I have to say that their motive in doing so is not clear; the newspapers say that they hope to show that Malvo was dominated or manipulated by Muhammad. Having reviewed most of them -- they are available here -- my assessment is that they lend little support to that theory. What they do indicate is that Malvo and Muhammad were Islamofascists who admired Osama bin Laden and Saddam Hussein and hated Christians and Jews. Malvo wrote a "poem," available here, which included these lines:

"Fight in the cause of Allah those who believe,
Destroy the devil and infidels, fear them not
(Crusader & zionist alliance) for Allah choose the humble
And the despised, so fight ye with all your possessions
and persons, fight ye and remember Allah will repay
your loan of life and property 10 fold, give your life to Allah."

There is much more in the same vein. There are also tributes to Saddam Hussein, Moammar Qadaffi, and Osama bin Laden, along with the Star of David in the cross hairs of a gun scope, with the words "WANTED DEAD! True Terrorists. Fight to destroy oppression." And, of course, references to "jihad" everywhere.

There is no indication that Muhammad and Malvo were connected in any way to an organized terrorist group like al-Qaeda. It seems more likely that they were freelance Islamic terrorists, like Hesham Mohamed Hadayet, who killed two people at the El Al counter at the Los Angeles airport last year. Which highlights the difficulty of dealing with Islamofascist terrorism. It is not enough to identify a particular gang and bring them to justice. The potential for violence resides in an ideology that must be stamped out, world-wide, for security to be possible.

While Lee Malvo never met Osama bin Laden, there is no doubt as to where he and Muhammad got their inspiration:

This article originally appeared at PowerLineBlog.com.

[PoisedWoman]

likely that they were freelance Islamic terrorists, like Hesham Mohamed Hadayet, who killed two people at the El Al counter at the Los Angeles airport last year.

Yes. They should both be executed for terrorism and murder. The El Al murderer was never identified in the mainstream press as a terrorist and the LA police refused to use the word as well. (We VRWCs at FR got the message loud and clear immediately, however.) Our PC officials are providing the ideal hothouse environment for terrorists, freelance or connected.

[Texas_Jarhead]

BUMP

[Sacajaweau]

Still think they were the anthrax "mailers" and didn't get paid. It sure matches their MO...hit and run.

Then add in the fact that Malvo left his new school in Florida (after about 2 mos) on the same day that Stevens' death was announced and confirmed as Anthrax. 4 days later, (Oct 9), the last two letters were mailed. Malvo didn't arrive on the west coast until Oct 19.

[knighthawk]

There is much more in the same vein. There are also tributes to Saddam Hussein, Moammar Qadaffi, and Osama bin Laden, along with the Star of David in the cross hairs of a gun scope, with the words "WANTED DEAD! True Terrorists. Fight to destroy oppression." And, of course, references to "jihad" everywhere.

Islam-list

If people want on or off this list, please let me know.

[marktwain]

So, with as successfull an attack as this (it was very successfull), why haven't their been any copy cats? The resources of our enemies in this country must be very low. We must be winning the war on terror big time.

[VOA]

There are also tributes to Saddam Hussein, Moammar Qadaffi, and Osama bin Laden,
along with the Star of David in the cross hairs of a gun scope, with the words
"WANTED DEAD! True Terrorists. Fight to destroy oppression."

The lefties are pretty quiet...after their fantasy about the snipers being
some lone, middle-aged white male got blown to bits.
And this includes most of the expert profilers in law enforcement as well.

[PGalt]

Good post, great comments bump.

[Vision]

Wow

Let's kill'em

[FR_addict]

Still think they were the anthrax "mailers" and didn't get paid. It sure matches their MO...hit and run.

I don't think they were the anthrax killers, but the evidence is there that it was tied to the Moslem terrorists who flew the 9-11 planes. There were many connections to the first anthrax discovered in Florida and the 9-11 terrorists who lived down there.

Now, we find out that the Iraqi's have a superior capability to turn anthrax into a bioweapon than either the US or Russia. Yet, the FBI is still hounding that poor guy.

I think they know it was Moslem terrorists but they "don't want to alarm the public." Just like this case, they ignore the fact that these two are Moslem extremists.

[FR_addict]

Thanks for the ping.

[Fred Mertz]

It seems more likely that they were freelance Islamic terrorists, like Hesham Mohamed Hadayet, who killed two people at the El Al counter at the Los Angeles airport last year.

Does the media muzzle the terrorism angle unintentionally or are the forced to by their corporate masters?

[~Kim4VRWC's~]

Thank you for the ping!

[~Kim4VRWC's~]

Christian and Jew hater...


A new sniper ping.

If you want on or off the list, please let me know.

[~Kim4VRWC's~]

Christian and Jew hater...


A new sniper ping.

If you want on or off the list, please let me know.

[~Kim4VRWC's~]

I sent that message via freepmail instead of as a post. I think I need to wake up and get my thumbs untangled or something. lol Again, sorry about the ping error. :)

[~Kim4VRWC's~]

Ahem, I meant all those posts, even the errors to go to knighthawk. LOL zzzzzzzz OH, where am I? I guess I felt the need to freep in my sleep. :)

[~Kim4VRWC's~]

I'll just call those posts extra bumps to the threads.. :)

[sleavelessinseattle]

Thanks for the ping Knighthawk!:-I Gee do you think my tagline puts too fine a point on it for the fourth estate lurkers?

DEATH to Militant Wahabi's Born or CONVERTED in JAIL. The US Correctional system will save a fortune on Fruit Loops and unused SOAP. YEE GODS! these scum chap my hide...

[GOPJ]

While the D.C. snipers were on the loose, there was speculation about whether the murders were another instance of Islamic terrorism. (Not from the authorities, of course, who were fixated on finding a white man in a white van.)

In the beginning, didn't CBS think it was a white guy in a white truck, who was right wing conspiracy member? If it has been, this would be the trial of the century, rather than a footnote. Yep, no bias there...

[knighthawk]

That happens when you fall asleep on your keyboard, you type strange things with your nose.

[harpseal]

From teh way Al Qaeda works John Mohammed was a probable Freelancer. As to those who question why we have not had more since? Well we seem to have something gging on in Ohio that is still unsolved and although we have no reason yet to believe it is Islamic terror we alsohave no reason not to.

[Travis McGee]

In the long run talented freelancers may be even more dangerous, since the FBI will not be able to roll them up as part of a network.

[harpseal]

Roger on the freelancers being more dangerous. It seems like all the more reason to think of the .45 as something one never leaves home without.

I note the maximum distance these scum took for a shot was about 150 feet. That is not out of range of a handgun.

[Travis McGee]

These guys weren't particularly talented in any way, just motivated. Sooner or later we'll arrive at talented and motivated freelancers. Then their ranges, methods and effectiveness will go way, way up.

[ladyinred]

Most of us knew this when it was happening. I am at a loss as to why the government is pretending that some of these attacks are from terrorists. If it isn't some huge deal that they can't possibly hide, they pretend it is a random incident for some reason.

[harpseal]

Roger on the talented and motivated. Then the cost will go way up but skill with a rifle as a counter sniper will become a valuable commodity.

[Travis McGee]

Out of this large country of 300M souls, a few talented shooters could really wreak havoc way beyond Moh. and Malvo, and the odds of getting a counter sniper in the right place at the right time would be infinitesimal. Imagine the hatred of M&M and the talent of a trained USMC level shooter... Such a person could use any standard deer rifle, and the next thing you know, all of the deer rifles will be on the banned-next list.

[marktwain]

the next thing you know, all of the deer rifles will be on the banned-next list

Don't be so pessimistic, Travis! It is just as likely that, the next thing you know, everyone will be insisting on being armed!

[Travis McGee]

Yes, it could work like that, especially outside of the urban areas. I can see county sheriffs deputizing 100s of armed citizens, creating an instant de facto citizens' militia. Once deputized and given common working radio freqs, toting all types of weapons would be 100% legal in that county. I can see this happening easily during an emergency period.

[piasa]

Most of us knew this when it was happening. I am at a loss as to why the government is pretending that some of these attacks are from terrorists. If it isn't some huge deal that they can't possibly hide, they pretend it is a random incident for some reason.

From a legal perspective, it is relatively easy to prove to a jury that the person holding the weapon murdered someone; it is much more difficult to prove to a jury that there are solid connections between the murderer, his ideology, and say, some guy who donates money to charity and sends funny notes from obscure parts of the world about 'big weddings.'

From the standpoint of trying to defend the country, we must remember that our military is capable of winning any conflict- but it can win long conflicts only with the support of the population- in other words, public opinion.

In order to win a war over the long term, it is important to keep the not-so-perceptive people from getting hysterical and flighty, making the markets and economy unstable, or making their popularly-elected congressmen think more of reelection chances than winning a war. Leveling shrill and thoughtless demands that we pull out from the conflict and hide with our heads in the sand and our tails between our legs will never result in victory.

There are people who go bonkers if they three-inch high fonts in their headlines screaming TERRORIST LIVING NEXT DOOR, and they overeact, make runs on the banks, dump stocks, call in debts prematurely, overdose their kids on Cipro, hide in their basements, fail to show up for work, shoot anyone with a turban on their head, etc. Hysterical people aren't any good at all for the economy or defense; a bad economy impairs our nation's ability to persevere, and panicky people with hairtrigger fingers are more likely to get our second ammendment rights and other rights completely trashed than they are to save anyone from a terrorist attack.

Terrorists don't expect their deeds to destroy the US directly, nor even seriously hurt us. They seek to destabilize society by making people panic, become disruptive, and act impulsively on their fears. They seek to make the population of a target nation undermine that country's ability to defend itself.

That's not to say people shouldn't be warned about terrorist activity- but those able to understand and adjust to the threat can already see what is going on without officials drawing pictures of the obvious. Those who are so slow they need it spelled out for them in an obvious fashion aren't going ot be able to do anything with the info anyway- except maybe pee in their pants.

[Free Trapper]

When the shootings were happening,I considered handguns even less effective than something like a Thompson contender being used because I felt I could have pulled them off.

Also,many were speaking as if these shootings would have taken a high level of training.

As the shootings continued,I kept thinking about how many regular people,even teenagers,in the U.S. would be able to pull these murders off if they were twisted enough to want to.

To me,the snipers were doing very little more than roadhunting and not even having to stick around long enough to claim their kills.

TM,thanks for the other day and I'll drop you a note when I feel just a tad better. :o)

[~Kim4VRWC's~]

:) and slobber all over my keyboard.

[Free Trapper]

I think there was one report from Ohio of a horse or stocktrailer being shot and the driver seeeing several juveniles on an overpass with a rifle at the time.

[Travis McGee]

Yep, the TC Contender is a very misunderestimated gun IMHO!

Good to see you posting BTW, hope you're feeling okay!

[bjcintennessee]

Well said.

I have believed all along that the reasons you stated also apply to our government officials all the way up to President Bush. Given the slightest hint that Islamists have declared war, and every trigger-happy whacko would come out of the woodwork.

[Tailgunner Joe]

bttt

[Vision]

Tell me if you have a chair tall enough, otherwise I can put something together.

[harpseal]

As the shootings continued,I kept thinking about how many regular people,even teenagers,in the U.S. would be able to pull these murders off if they were twisted enough to want to.

Clearly I agree with this statement. The simple factr is that the short range rifle shots were easily made.

To me,the snipers were doing very little more than roadhunting and not even having to stick around long enough to claim their kills.

Excellent analogy.

As to my comments about handguns I was referring to the Moh & Malvo MO. If I were in a situation wher I were not taken out with teh first shot and I were able to identify from where the shot came I could probably return fire effectively with even a handgun. I would expect most of those competent with a handgun could do the same. Now, is it the best and most effective response? Certainly not. Is it better than waiting for 911 if they decided to take a second shot? I would say yes.

Now as to my comment about couter snipers. I would state clearly teh chances of posyioning a police counter sniper team in teh right area are about zero. However, there are a whole lot of competent people out there with rifles who could if called upon do the job. When combioned with high tech survielance very large numbers of people armed with scoped deer rifles could get the job done.

[harpseal]

Roger on that report from Ohio but as of now it is person or persons unknown.

[Free Trapper]

Agreed on all points.:)

And remember,they probably used a handgun in Washington State to commit a murder,along with another killing where a .22 mag.,NAA,5 shot,single action revolver mouse gun was used.Both murders commited at arms length it sounds like.

Handguns are our friends when in "our" hands.Even at a distance,a handgun could cause a sniper to flinch or take off at least,if you couldn't hit him.

[knighthawk]

LOL!