Cops: Religion Fueled Army Office Slay

Suspect Pleads Not Guilty In Attack On Ark. Recruitment Center That Killed One, Wounded One

(CBS/AP)  A Muslim convert who already was under federal investigation pleaded not guilty Tuesday in what police called a likely "political and religious" attack that killed a young soldier at a military recruiting center.

Abdulhakim Muhammad, 23, of Little Rock, was charged in Monday's death of Pvt. William Long, 23, of Conway outside an Army-Navy Career Center in a west Little Rock shopping center. He pleaded not guilty to a capital murder charge and was ordered held without bail.

A prosecutor said Muhammad admitted shooting Long and another soldier "because of what they had done to Muslims in the past."

An FBI-led joint terrorism task force based in the southern United States has been investigating Muhammad since he returned to the United States from Yemen, a law enforcement official said. The suspect had been arrested and jailed in Yemen at some point for using a Somali passport, the official said. The time of that arrest was not immediately clear.

The official, who spoke on condition of anonymity, was not authorized to discuss the investigation.

The FBI is continuing to investigate the shooting, looking for any possible ties between the suspect and a larger terror group. So far none has been found and local police are saying they believe the suspect Muhammad acted alone, reports CBS News correspondent Bob Orr.

The FBI opened a “preliminary investigation” upon Muhammad's return from Yemen but found nothing significant enough to warrant his arrest or a request for wiretaps. Agents did interview him, but Muhammad was not under continuing surveillance, Orr reports.

Assistant U.S. Attorney Pat Harris said no decision has been made on whether to pursue federal charges against Muhammad. "We're consulting with a lot of people on what, if any, charges can be filed against him," Harris said.

Both Arkansas and federal court systems permit executions for capital crimes.

Long and Pvt. Quinton Ezeagwula, 18, of Jacksonville, Ark., had recently completed basic training and had never seen combat. Ezeagwula was hospitalized in stable condition.

Police Chief Stuart Thomas said Muhammad, previously known as Carlos Bledsoe, was a convert to Islam and was not part of any broader scheme to attack the American military.

Interviews with police show he "probably had political and religious motives for the attack," the chief said.

"We believe that it's associated with his disagreement over the military operations," Thomas said.

Police Sgt. Cassandra Davis said Tuesday it wasn't known when Muhammad began planning the attack.

Deputy Prosecutor Scott Duncan said Muhammad told investigators that "he would have killed more soldiers had they been in the parking lot." Long and Ezeagwula were targeted as they stood outside the recruiting center smoking cigarettes.

Muhammad did not speak during the brief hearing before Little Rock District Judge Alice Lightle.

John Rehrauer, spokesman for the Pulaski County jail, said the department was handling Muhammad as it does other high-profile cases.

"He is in some protective custody, in a higher-security unit in a cell by himself," Rehrauer said.

He said he didn't know of any threats against Muhammad and said jailers did not believe he was in any greater danger than previous high-profile people handled at the prison.

The two soldiers had recently completed basic training and had volunteered for a program to recruit others to the military, said Lt. Col. Thomas F. Artis of the Oklahoma City Recruiting Battalion, which oversees the Little Rock office.

"They can show the example: 'Here's where I was, and here is where I am,"' Artis said.

A police report said Muhammad told investigators he observed two soldiers in uniform, drove up to the recruiting center and began shooting.

"He saw them standing there and drove up and shot them," Lt. Terry Hastings told The Associated Press. "That's what he said."

Police arrested Muhammad along a highway moments after the shootings. Police said an assault rifle and other weapons were found in his vehicle.

In addition to the capital murder count, Muhammad is accused of committing 16 counts of a terroristic act. Thomas said most additional counts resulted from the gunfire occurring near other people.

The suspect's father, Melvin Bledsoe of Memphis, Tenn., hung up on a reporter who called about his son's arrest Monday night.

[cbs_tom]

"McVeigh contradicted himself several times on his religious beliefs".
Posted by endurorob at 11:05 AM : Jun 3, 2009

Very true... I believe that he was just too far out there and was mislead by his circle of friends (users).

[endurorob]

Tim McVeighs last words were that he was the captain of his own ship acknowledging no god...
Posted by cbs_tom at 8:24 AM : Jun 3, 2009

McVeigh contradicted himself several times on his religious beliefs.

[cbs_tom]

"Please get your information from someone other than Rush Limbaugh and his ilk".
Posted by jmcgilvray at 11:46 AM : Jun 2, 2009
So by contradicting your remark makes me a Rush head? Tim McVeighs last words were that he was the captain of his own ship acknowledging no god...

[whosaid1]

" The religious mind is closed, sick, bitter and twisted."

Posted by jmcgilvray

Based on reading your posts over the last week or so....that seems to describe you perfectly...if you are not religious, whats your excuse ??

[rf35]

"Not all Islams are terroristts.
But all terrorists are Islams."
-- TheMasses07

You got that backwards...it should be:
"Not all terrorists are Islamic
But all Islamics are terrorists."
Also, I belive it should be Muslims when referring to the people who practice the Islamic faith.

jmcgilvray, I agree than religion poisons everything. From the dawn of humanity to the Crusades to 9/11, religion has always been used as a justification for killing. Death to the infidle, burn the heretic...on and on and on......

[alkinne]

alanrobisch,youre brainwashed, a perfect example of what jmcgilvray was saying.
ALL RELIGION IS FRAUD!!!!

[armyoftwelve]

Abdulhakim Muhammad, converted to islam....killed 2 people in Arkansas.
John Muhammed...converted to islam...shot a dozen or more people from the trunk of his car.
Richard Reid..converted to islam..try blowing a plane up with his shoes.
Onta Williams, James Cromitie, David Williams, and Laguerre Payen ? converted to islam and tried blowing up a Brooklyn synagogue.
John Lindh..converted to islam... fought for the taliban

Do we see a pattern here???

[whosaid1]

fat fingers....."words"

[whosaid1]

Tim McVeigh was an athiest.
Posted by cbs_tom
_________________________________________________

THE ABOVE IS NOT TRUE. McVeigh bombed the federal building in Oklahoma City in retaliation for the government*s raid on his fellow religious fanatics, The Branch Dividians, at Waco. McVeigh, however, was not a member of The Davidians, just a religiously fanatical sympathizer.

Please get your information from someone other than Rush Limbaugh and his ilk.
Posted by jmcgilvray

Mcveighs comments to a question from TIME about his religion.

"I was raised Catholic. I was confirmed Catholic (received the sacrament of confirmation). Through my military years, I sort of lost touch with the religion. I never really picked it up, however I do maintain core beliefs."

Hardly the woods of a "religiously fanatical sympathizer".

[ToolMangler1]

"RELIGION POISONS EVERYTHING"!
Posted by jmcgilvray at 9:58 AM : Jun 2, 2009



Try this on for size, "weak minds poison everything [including religion]"
Is yours strong enough to understand that?