Family: Army's grenade attacker 'driven to it'

ABC News ^ | 03/25/03 | ABC News

[bolobaby]

Attitude Problem?
Family: Soldier Accused in Grenade Attack Troubled Over Race & Religion Issues

March 25 — U.S. Army Sgt. Asan Akbar, the soldier being detained in connection with a grenade attack on his fellow soldiers, told his family members that he encountered racism as an African-American and a Muslim in the armed services.

His stepfather, William Bilal, who was once married to Akbar's mother, Quran Bilal, said that his stepson was resentful toward the military and had complained several years ago that it was difficult for a black man "to make rank" in the military.

"Asan was pushed to this. We've got that clear," William Bilal told WBRZ, ABCNEWS' affiliate in Baton Rouge, La. "Everybody's got a breaking point, to put it that way. Everybody's got a breaking point. If he did this, he was driven."

...

[aruanan]

"Asan was pushed to this. We've got that clear," William Bilal told WBRZ, ABCNEWS' affiliate in Baton Rouge, La. "Everybody's got a breaking point, to put it that way. Everybody's got a breaking point. If he did this, he was driven."

"Da Debbil made me do it"?

More likely, the driving force was along these lines:

Those who knew Akbar from the past expressed disbelief that he could be responsible. Imam Hasan told the Times that the Akbar he remembered was a quiet, shy and studious boy who stayed out of trouble, even normal schoolyard scuffles and roughhousing. --The Army Times

"For a limited time only! Turn YOUR quiet, shy, and studious boy into a murderous thug. Just add Islam! Yes, Islam. That magical formula from the ancient past, imported from the shifting sands of the mysterious Orient. You claim your boy isn't quite xenophobic enough? That he doesn't even get into the normal schoolyard scuffles and scrapes? With a dash of Islam and its childhood/pubescent circumcision and a license to kill enemies of the House of Islam, you'll have no problem at all in awakening his latent paranoia and aggression and turning them outward. Islam! For all your martyr complex needs! And don't let the girls miss out on all the fun! Be one of the first hundred callers and get a free clitorectomy kit!"

[Russell Scott]

This guy, and the sniper John Mohamhead, is the perfect subject for Mike Mooreon's next fictional documentary. I would call it "The Bobsie Twins Get Real Religion, not Stupid White Man Christianity"

[ohioman]

I wish this scum's family was in Iraq right now.

[valleygal]

Get Over It, the Eagles

Exactly. Someone else is always to blame.

BTW, we have videotape of our then 3 yr old daughter (now 10) using our camera tripod as a standing microphone, pretending to be a rock 'n' roller while trying to lip sync, "Get Over It". Cracks us up.

[annyokie]

"Whatever happened to the firing squad? "

Yes, we think a little battlefield justice is in order here.

[Will]

"The Devil (Allah) made him do it.

The more I learn about Islam and Muslims the apparent it becomes that allah IS satan...

[mindjam]

Ah yes, the old "held down by The Man" argument.

[PA Engineer]

Looks like the nut didn't fall to far from the tree.

[Texas Mom]

These people must be democrats... seeing as they can't take any personal responsibility.

You can bet on it.

[mindjam]

"Whatever happened to the firing squad? " Yes, we think a little battlefield justice is in order here.</> Don't forget to give the tips of the bullets a nice coating of pork fat first.

[cynicom]

Well then, I confess, we are driven to shoot the man.

[annyokie]

Nice touch! I'll include it next time! Thanks!

[Eagle Eye JR]

If he was complaining about being in the military years ago, my first question is why he would reenlist when he says he had all these problems with it. My second question is why is this man still living, he should have been drug out in the desert that morning and shot!!!

[CholeraJoe]

I have some similar footage of my daughter that I'm saving to show to her Prom date in two years.

[Birdiegirl]

The step father also admitted that he had not seen or talked to the step son in 3 YEARS! He didn't have a clue what was going on. That was so obvious.

[valleygal]

I've hear the term "fragging" a few times and can't find it in Webster's. Can you help me?

[rattrap]

I kinda hope this does turn into a media circus, and jesse and jonny get involved, and picketers, and moore and then the military hangs the POS muslim scumbag traitor SOB.

it would be nice for some instituion to show they don't take (ahem..)stuff from these folks.

and i know by putting all that other stuff around muslim i was being redundant...

[valleygal]

:) Someday they'll appreciate it. Like when they show their own kids.

[gitmogrunt]

For starters, I wish our military could do a Summary Battlefield Execution for this fatherless piece of scheiss.

[Atlas Sneezed]

Supposedly he was a double major in engineering (was it UC davis?)

Actually, he had a single major, and in nine years, earned only a single degree from the Mechanical and Aeronautical Engineering Department at UC Davis