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.

[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)

[Freedom2specul8]

:) 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.