Muslim-American soldier detained in Kuwait attack (I KNEW it!)

WorldNetDaily ^ | March 22, 2003 | WND

[Edward Watson]

Muslim-American soldier detained in Kuwait attack 16 troops injured in grenade assault described by Pentagon as 'inside job'

A U.S. soldier being described as a Muslim is now in custody for alleged complicity in the grenade and small-arms attack on members of the U.S. Army's 101st Airborne Division encamped in Northern Kuwait, which injured 16 soldiers, 11 seriously.

In addition, two Kuwaitis who had served a translators are being held for questioning, according to CBS News correspondent Mark Strassmann, who is imbedded with the 101st.

Strassmann reported that the grenades were rolled into two commanders' tents. When officers ran from their tents, they were hit by small arms fire, he said.

George Heath, 101st spokesman at home base Fort Campbell, said: "From our reports it appears that a terrorist penetrated Camp Pennsylvania, one or more terrorists threw two hand grenades into a tent."

Calling it a criminal matter and an "inside job," the Pentagon says the U.S. soldier had been missing on base. The soldier implicated was reportedly in charge of grenades, according to MSNBC.

None of the injuries are being called life threatening, and some of the casualties have been air-lifted out of the camp.

Strassmann also reported that an Iraqi rocket fired at U.S. forces in Kuwait was downed by Patriot missiles launched from nearby Camp New Jersey.

Time reporter Jim Lacey told ABC News that he talked to an eyewitness at the rear base camp who said that grenades were rolled into a tents that housed the leaders of the brigadier unit. A terrorist, the witness told Lacey, shot the first two people who exited the tent. Sky News reports that a third grendade was rolled into a third tent housing officers, but that it did not explode.

Camp Pennsylvania was named to honor of the victims of plane that crashed in Pennsylvania during the Sept. 11 attacks. The camp, located approximately 20-30 miles south of the Iraqi border, is surrounded by large berms and guarded by armed soldiers, with others in observation posts watching the desert. The camp is also home to Patriot missile batteries.

The U.S. soldier is currently being questioned, and U.S. authorities are tight-lipped about characterizing his possible involvement.

Stuart Ramsay, a reporter with Sky News, says the Muslim soldier had become a concern to his commanding officers.

"In recent days they were concerned about his behavior and were not going to send him up to the front when the soldiers were going to be deployed," Ramsay said.

It is not clear whether the soldier, who Ramsay said would have been in the Gulf for some weeks, had planned the attack before being deployed.

"Talking to other soldiers, it could be that he was disgruntled," Ramsay said. "They said he had been acting 'weird' for days."

[demosthenes the elder]

no doubt... or by monday at the latest.
I have been wondering what the DUh-people have been whispering about this incident.
Anyone want to check? I refuse to soil my mind by going there so soon before bed...

[FairOpinion]

But the problem is that the American Muslim community doesn't speak up and condemn this.

Why isn't CAIR on TV immediately condemning this attack, and calling for all American Muslims to refrain from violence against their fellow Americans?

The silence is deafening.

THAT is why people resent Muslims.
We all know that theoretically not all Muslims are terrorists, but when they dont' speak up against, it, well, their silence speak volumes, and it's a tacit approval.

I wish Muslim people would speak up and condemn such action and disassociate themselves from it. THEN we would be more comfortable with disassociating terrorism from "all" Muslims.

[FairOpinion]

Democrats foster that, to try to cater to special interests.

[Lunatic Fringe]

I believe classifying all muslims as radical is offensive... there are a lot of Muslims who love and fight and die for this country, they are the unsung heroes who's faces you wont see plastered on the television.

[FairOpinion]

The headline is NOT silly, it is properly descriptive, because the reason and motivating factor for this soldiers unforgivable, horrible action of attacking his own fellow soldiers IS a direct result of his Muslim religion.

[PFKEY]

Just a quick question. Was it you who was saying last week that this war would not start at all or atleast not for several months?

[so_real]

I wish Muslim people would speak up and condemn such action and disassociate themselves from it. THEN we would be more comfortable with disassociating terrorism from "all" Muslims.

We have it straight from the quaran (koran) that under no uncertain terms a "good" muslim could not in good faith condemn such actions ... I think *that* is the real problem.

[Grampa Dave]

This is not the first time that something this has happened.

The first time was in Desert Storm. The man who tried to kill his peers was John Allen Williams, aka John Allen Mohammad, the DC sniper. "...[John Muhammad] Williams’s unit was sent to Operation Desert Storm to clear mines and bulldoze holes in enemy lines. A few nights before the invasion of Iraq, Sergeant Berentson awoke in the early hours to find his tent, with 16 sleeping men inside, on fire. Someone had tossed in a thermite grenade. Berentson, who was fed up with Williams’s insubordination, immediately suspected Williams and told the Army’s Criminal Investigative Division. Berentson says he last saw Williams being led away in handcuffs. Williams’s military records make no mention of the incident; indeed, they suggest Williams had a distinguished gulf-war stint. But Berentson always kept Williams’s name and dog-tag number in his wallet. He says he was not surprised to see Williams’s face on television..."

[demosthenes the elder]

It sounds like Twain.

[cgk]

Yes, or Teddy on a "bad" day ;)

[boris]

"Why am I not surprised. It seems utterly idiotic for the US to have fanatical Muslims in its armed forces"

One of the 9/11 hijackers was a 'naturalized citizen' who had received advanced training in the Army.

Real nice, eh?

[Thorondir]

I sincerely hope you are right.

But I doubt it.

[tessalu]

It is wrong to blame Arabs, for all Arabs are not Islamics, so tell it like it is. Blacks are in no way to blame either, it is just the Islamics, who are so filled with hate, that they can not even think straight. There are white Islamics, and they are just as bad.

[truth_seeker]

Regardless of his race or his religion, the crime he has committed resulted in death.

As a soldier, intentionally killing fellow soldiers in time of war, MUST qualify for the death penalty, on at least one and probably two or more legal precepts.

So he will never see freedom, and may be executed before a military firing squad for his terrorist act.

I wonder what leftist American lawyer will wish to gain publicity, by defending this sub-human organism?

[Thorondir]

Hey, my friend. I think you posted that to the wrong guy.

[Jeff Head]

FYI.

[Jeff Head]

FYI.

[Jeff Head]

FYI.

[Salvation]

Did translator shortage backfire? Inadequate preparation of Arabic-language interrogators

[demosthenes the elder]

agreed. in the "big stick" vein.