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A woman who said she is Akbar's mother, Quran Bilal, told The Tennessean of Nashville that she was concerned her son might have been accused because he is a Muslim, adding he was not allowed to participate in the first Gulf War because of his religion.

P.S. I think the mother is a liar. And since, based even on the little info in this article, it sounds like mother and son have the same mentality (he's innocent as a newborn babe), I wouldn't trust her to give me the correct time of day.

I also heard a story on TV about the suspect's brother quitting the army after 911, based on religious reasons. Have you heard that story?

There is also some question, as to whether this guy was leading a double life in the army: appatrently his comrades knew him as Cools, not Akbar. One story I read during the past 24 hours, referred to his "conversion," a la John Muhammad. I suspect that writer may have been seeking to square the story, according to which Akbar was known by a Moslem and by a non-Moslem name.

Have you ever heard of American G.I.'s being refused participation in Gulf War I, based on their religion?