Current Name: Abdulhakim Mujahid Muhammad
Previous Name: Carlos Leon Bledsoe
http://jarretbrachman.net/wp-content/uploads/2009/06/02recruiters_450a.jpg
Age: 24
Recent Foreign Travel: Yemen
(He was arrested there for using a Somali passport, which triggered an FBI/JTTF investigation)
Converted to Islam: As a teenager
Stated motivation for violence: Upset with US wars in Iraq and Afghanistan
But the car was loaded with a small arsenal. Officers who searched the car found more than 100 rounds of ammunition, an SKS assault rifle, two pistols, and two military books.
The ammunition was loaded in magazines which were found in a vest, police sources say.
Twin City Tours, a Little Rock travel company, was listed as Muhammad’s employer on an arrest report.
Muhammad’s father, Melvin Bledsoe, would not comment when reached by ABC News
******
The two privates, who were both from Arkansas, were in Little Rock as part of a recruiting program that typically uses soldiers recently out of basic training to promote the Army in their home regions, Army officials said.
“They were serving their country,” said Lt. Col. Thomas F. Artis, commander of the Oklahoma City recruiting battalion, which includes Arkansas. “They were just standing outside, just taking a five-minute break, just minding their own business — and this happens.”
The dead soldier was identified as Pvt. William A. Long, 23, of Conway, about 30 miles north of Little Rock. The other victim, Pvt. Quinton Ezeagwula, 18, was in stable condition at Baptist Medical Center, Chief Stuart Thomas of the Little Rock Police Department said.
In a lengthy interview with the police, Mr. Muhammad said he was angry about the killing of Muslims in Iraq and Afghanistan, Chief Thomas said. Previously known as Carlos Bledsoe, Mr. Muhammad told investigators that he had converted to Islam as a teenager, Chief Thomas said.
Chief Thomas said investigators believe that Mr. Muhammad acted alone. He seemed to be familiar with the Army recruiting office because it was not far from his home, the chief said, but might have been on the prowl for anyone in uniform.
“I would say he was looking for any and all targets of opportunity that happened to be military,” the chief said in a telephone interview. “That may have well been the first place he found.”
http://www.nytimes.com/2009/06/02/us/02recruit.html?_r=1&ref=global-home
I'm surprised the Army hasn't released their pictures yet.
Hmm, their might be pictures sent out by the Home Town News Service, in conjunction with their either starting or finishing basic. There would have at least been stories.
Both were said to be from Conway Arkansas, although that may have been in error. Here's the Conway Log Cabin Democrat website. I did a quick search attempt on their names, with zero results. But it appears that they have not put anything up on the site since 8 am Monday morning. . They probably don't publish everyday. Perhaps they have the photos in the Archives, or can at least find a yearbook picture for the younger, Pvt. Ezeagwula. I did a Yahoo search on that last name, for all of AR. The only hit I got was Ike Ezeagwula living in Litt;e Rock, in the same general part of town as the recruiting station. He's also listed on a webite for Nigerians as signing a petition to try to get an international airport in Southeast Nigeria, with his location given as Little Rock. I'll bet Ike is Quinton's father or older brother.
