If he was an English major, why would he spell Ishmael as Ismail?
He’s not a native speaker?
I think “Ismail” is the arabic spelling of “Ishmael.”
To the contrary of other posters, I don’t think this means he is NOT islamic.
I also think the name of “Bush” being involved might be a coincidence. The character’s name is “Ishmael Bush,” and HE is the one with the axe. I think this might indeed be the intended reference, though, because the axe figures prominently, apparently, in the story, and is referred to as “Ishmael’s axe.” That the gunman used the arabic spelling must mean something, too (to the extent anything can mean something to a deranged person).
Well, it doesn't mean his tattoo artist majored in English.
“If he was an English major, why would he spell Ishmael as Ismail?”
Because that is the muslim spelling?
Ismail Haniya was a relatively unknown figure until he headed the Hamas list that won the Palestinian legislative election of January 2006.