CNN now says John Muhammad's name change is unconfirmed... calling him John Williams

CNN ^ | October 26, 2002 | CNN

[spycatcher]

Sniper suspects charged with murder: FBI searches for new material witness

ROCKVILLE, Maryland (CNN) --The two men suspected of killing 10 people and wounding three others in a three-week shooting spree were charged with six counts of murder each late Friday in Montgomery County.

Arrest warrants were issued for John Allen Williams, 41, and John Lee Malvo, 17, charging them each with first-degree murder in the six killings that took place in Montgomery County. (Read the charges against Williams) (Read the charges against Malvo)

Williams reportedly changed his name last year to John Allen Muhammad, but he has also used at least eight aliases, according to sources.

[Mr. Mojo]

CNN - Hah the DUsters were having a fit yesterday because CNN showed Harkin bawling about Wellstone.

Fascinating. Those idiots actually believe that CNN puts a conservative spin on things! Can you imagine what they think of FOX?

[TShaunK]

Yeah if he is found guilty his name will be John O'Reilly, if he beats the system and found not guilty his name will be John Mohommed.

[KingKongCobra]

Oh, those DUmmies are boycotting CNN and their sponsers. They think the evil AOL/TM corporation is helping conservatives. They live in a complete fantasy land.

[spycatcher]

You missed the whole point.

It's sloppy and biased reporting to say that his name has "reportedly been changed" to Muhammad and fail to accept politically the *absolute fact* that it's been changed (which by it's very nature was done to show his conversion to Islam) and just start disrespecting his faith and our intelligence.

[demlosers]

The DUhmmies have lost it. Many DUhs believe CNN works for conservatives. LOL!

[KingKongCobra]

He was drummed out of the service with a "less than honorable" discharge. Details are not available.

[Eroteme]

Actually, the warrant was issued for John Allen Muhammad, his legal name. Williams was an aka. See http://www.thesmokinggun.com/archive/jamuhammadG1.html

[Letitring]

The man had his name changed LEGALLY. That is it. If and until he chooses to call himself something else, LEGALLY, He is what that Court of Law says he is, Mohammad. If that arrest warrent is in the name of Williams, it is wrong.

[Letitring]

Well, then the arrest warrant is NOT wrong. I really had my doubts about that, anyway. Cops are usually pretty good at getting the LEGALLY correct name on something. :)

[KingKongCobra]

I do not miss the point. Read the article. It says "arest warrents were issued for John Wiiliams". It continues with "reportedly changed his name to Mohammad". Finally, he may have used "as many as eight aliases".

All of these are fair and factual statements which paint a complete picture. The police used one name, another name has been legally and commonly used, eight others are known.

Would you have written it as
"The police issued arrest warrents for John Williams but they are blithering idiots because he changed his name to Mohammad." ?? Who has the bias here?

[MadIvan]

CNN now says John Muhammad's name change is unconfirmed... calling him John Williams

Great, now they'll have people wondering who is going to compose the score for the last Star Wars film.

Regards, Ivan

[KingKongCobra]

You posted a link to a court proceeding in Seattle. What name did the Maryland police use? Did CNN copy the correct name from those documents?

[TShaunK]

My wife works with these documents and say that this particular doc. is for a name change for one of his kids, but not for him, although he signed it john muhhomed. He obviously refers to himself as John muhommed by using that name as his signature.... and normally would need ID to sign such a signature especially where there is a child involved.

[smoking camels]

ahhh... but he IS representative of this group who are taught it is god and moral to kill and destroy US.

[copycat]

Too late...the cat is way outa the bag. Only things to determine now is, where did he get the $100,000 or more necessary to stay in Antigua for a month in 2000? Where did he live last year, when the Post Office in (Hamilton?) NJ was hit with anthrax last year? This post office is seven miles from the Sure Shot Used Car lot. Why was Osbourne found in Flint MI...near Detroit, the national HQ of the Nation of Islam? How come every cell of "terrorists" sympathetic to 9/11 we have uncovered, has had at least ONE natural born American combined with aliens?

This didn't have a clue what was developing in AL and WA, and authorities had Muhammed's name for 5 days. What is going on NOW that we don't know regarding sympathy for 9/11, Nation of Islam, Al Queda, anthrax in NJ, of which we are not aware?

Many questions unanswered here...

[copycat]

Sorry...should be $10,000 (est) to stay in Antigua for one month.

[Nakota]

And now John Williams will be seen as having ties to the NRA, milita movement and white supremeacists. (His other car was probably a SUV too.)

[demlosers]

Isn't that disgusting? I tried to send that to CNN, went over, got a frozen computer sceen, knocked off line for my trouble. :) I WILL try again. :)

I emailed the fools at cnn.feedback@cnn.com with the links to the smokinggun.gifs.

[Scott from the Left Coast]

Never underestimate the laziness of journalists.

[spycatcher]

OK, go ahead, you can call him John Williams then. I'm sure in your circle of friends and co-workers that's what will be most understood.

You still missed the point that his name has been *legally* changed to Muhammad, not "reportedly" changed. That's pure biased and sloppy reporting no matter what. And contrary to your assertions it intentionally leaves the picture incomplete.

The arrest warrant was issued in the birth name which is a common practice. But CNN used that as an excuse to refer to him commonly by his birth name despite his religious conversion. This is disrespectful to his faith and is never done for converted non-terrorist muslims.