I haven't see a connection between these two and Al-queda. But I could be wrong. I understand that even the owner of GROUND ZERO has never heard of this guy.
There are in fact Christian Arabs in the middle east . . . and immigrants to America, from whatever locale, tend on average to be more Christian--and if Christian, more Protestant--than is typical of where they emmigrated from.
I actually knew a Farrikhan 'soldier'; I worked and lived with the guy for a year. During that time he let me in on the big secret: "I like you; but when the 'Revolution' comes, I'll have to kill you."
This guy was converted in the early 70's and very active in the cause for a decade when I met him.
The 'connection' with al Quaeda is an idiological one, at least: radical Muslim extremism. Louie is just another mullah--an American mullah--with the same plan as every other mullah: an Islamic world.
The significant point is, I think, that the idiology of Radical Islam does justify evil and violence and death against the 'infidels'. If the liquor store employee is dead, no biggie: just collateral damage in furtherance to the cause....just doing Allah's work.
"Evil in service to Allah is no vice."
Your assertion that J Muhammad's a lone crazy is both true and false: alone, he's a lone madman; with his friends in Allah, he's one among many. Just situational, 'sall.