AWOL GI wanted "retaliation," talked of attacks

A booking photo of Army Pfc. Nasser Jason Abdo, July 28, 2011. / CBS

Last Updated at 3:38 p.m. ET

KILLEEN, Texas - An AWOL soldier told police he was "seeking retaliation" against the Army and indicated that he was planning attacks against the City of Killeen and Fort Hood, the same Texas Army post where 13 people were killed in a 2009 shooting rampage blamed on an Army psychiatrist, CBS News correspondent Bob Orr reports.

Special Section: Tragedy at Fort Hood

Killeen police arrested without incident 21-year-old Pfc. Nasser Jason Abdo on Wednesday after being alerted by "concerned citizens," and agents found firearms and "items that could be identified as bomb-making components, including gunpowder," in his motel room, said FBI spokesman Erik Vasys.

Federal charges are pending and will be filed, pending review of the prosecutor's office, Killeen Police Chief Dennis Baldwin said at a press conference. Baldwin said that it was a federal investigation, not a local police investigation.

U.S. law enforcement sources told Orr that a .40 caliber semi-automatic handgun, ammunition clips, more than 100 rounds of ammunition, a large quantity of smokeless gunpowder, batteries, clocks and a pressure cooker were found in Abdo's motel room.

There were indications that Abdo was dismantling shotgun shells to retrieve the gunpowder with the intention of using the pellets as shrapnel in explosive devices, Orr reports.

"Military personnel were a target of this suspect," Baldwin said. If he had not been stopped, "we might be having a very different press conference."

A law enforcement official told CBS News that Abdo had asked how to build explosives at a gun store near Fort Hood. His questions about explosives made the gun store worker suspicious and contact police, the official said. When police questioned Abdo at his motel, he made references to a plan to kill or injure people.

Gun store clerk Greg Ebert, a 17-year veteran of the Killeen police force who retired in 2010, said a customer arrived by taxi Tuesday at Guns Galore LLC, where the 2009 Fort Hood rampage suspect bought a pistol used in the attack. The customer bought 6 pounds of smokeless gunpowder, three boxes of shotgun ammunition and a magazine for a semi-automatic pistol, paying about $250.

Ebert said he became concerned when the man asked questions indicating he didn't know much about the items, such as "What is smokeless powder?"

(At left, watch CBS News affiliate KWTX-TV from Waco, Texas, interview Ebert)

"(We) felt uncomfortable with his overall demeanor and the fact he didn't know what the hell he was buying," Ebert said. "I thought it prudent to contact the local authorities, which I did."

Killeen police did not immediately confirm Thursday whether the buyer was Abdo.

Two people associated with Abdo have been questioned but not arrested, the law enforcement official told CBS News.

Vasys said the FBI planned to charge Abdo with possessing bomb-making components later Thursday, at which time he would be transferred into federal custody. He said there was nothing to indicate Abdo was "working with others."

Abdo has been absent without leave from Fort Campbell, Ky., since the July 4 weekend.

"I would emphasize that any threat that Abdo posed is now over," Vasys said. "Suffice it to say we're looking into all aspects of Mr. Abdo's life to determine his motivations and intentions."

The Muslim American infantry soldier whose hometown the military lists as Garland, Texas, had applied for conscientious objector status last year, saying his religious beliefs would prohibit his service in any war. A military review board recommended this spring that he be separated from the Army.

The discharge was delayed after Abdo was charged with possessing child pornography. An Article 32 military hearing last month recommended Abdo for a court-martial. He has said he thought he was charged with a crime because he was seeking to leave the Army as a conscientious objector.

An Oklahoma attorney who has represented Abdo said Thursday he hasn't heard from Abdo in weeks and learned of the arrest from a Texas television station.

"I've been quite anxious to get in touch with him," said attorney James Branum.

Army psychiatrist Maj. Nidal Hasan faces a possible death sentence when he is tried next year on 13 counts of premeditated murder and 32 counts of attempted premeditated murder in the 2009 rampage at Fort Hood.

The Army post issued a statement seeking to reassure the community after Abdo's arrest Thursday.

"At this time, there has been no incident at Fort Hood," the statement said. "We continue our diligence in keeping our force protection at appropriate levels."

Fort Campbell spokesman Rick Rzepka referred all questions to the Pentagon.

[rrnc5lmce]

@tsprague52...you seem to be a muslim or a muslim supporter who knows a lot about this islam or muslim religion..I hope you noticed I did not capitalize the first letters of the word islam or muslim...because of the simple fact that I don't trust them..

I think they're bunch of hypocrites...muslims make fun of other religions as though it's OK to do so...but wait, when islam is criticized, boy, everybody except the kitchen sink goes up in arms and preaches jihad to the infidels...when non-muslims are killed, the muslim world rejoices...they say there are non violent muslims, where are they?..if they abhor violence, why don't they come out in public and protest in public...why?..because they are scared..who knows, there are muslim sleeper cells in our towns , waiting to be awakened to do their killing orders....maybe these silent muslims are really waiting for their chance to dominate the entire world! maybe these are stuff from movies, but who knows?...WE MUST BE VIGILANT AT ALL TIMES for the fake Americans!
This idiot Abdo - why in the first place did he join the military then he says he is a conscientious objector?..what a moron!..these are traitors that we should watch out for..and the military recruiters should STOP recruiting anyone with a muslim faith...I know that this is a free country..free to do, think, say, worship any way we want to as long as it is within the law...but from what has been happening lately...we should rethink all of these....some said: not all muslims are terrorists; but all terrorists are muslims...how true..how true...so, wake up people!

[helmyelsaid]

The Islam ban,condemn attacks against innocent people.

[jdavidlove]

His father is Muslim and his mother is Christian. Let's just stand up and remind ourselves that muslims are a false religion started by a pedophile. This is provable by the countless people who want to use it as an excuse to kill everybody - in the name of having sex with a whole bunch of women (of any age I'm sure) - who happen to be virgins - like these tools wouldn't do the same thing for non-virgins. If muslims are to eliminate my despise for them, they need to identify a leader, speak out publicly often about eliminating violence, and show the rest of the world that they are eliminating the boner murderers by combing through their own ranks and exposing the bad elements. Until this happens, how can anyone trust a muslim? Well, you can't. Don't trust muslims until this happens. This hasn't happened because they are a false religion with a rotten message that corrupts lives and mines. They have a lot to prove and you NEVER HEAR ANYTHING ABOUT THEM TRYING TO STOP THE ATTACKS. What you do see is another one of those mosques going up next to your churches. They are not trying to stop the madness - they are trying to take over - look at their actions and inactions and you understand the muslim. Their actions and inaction are the key to understanding their motivations. You won't hear their leaders speak because they don't want leaders who will have to lie to you - and the leaders they do have in their mosques don't want you to know what they're preaching. It's simple. Be afraid until you see them transform into something new. I see no indication that they will ever do that though. If it's not getting better, it's getting worse with these savages.

[tsprague52]

To put it bluntly, you do not know what you are talking about.

Islam is not more a false religion than Christianity is. And your little rant doesn't change that fact.

"If muslims are to eliminate my despise for them, they need to identify a leader"

lol Right. Who is the leader of Christians? Or Jews? The answer is "no one". Why should Muslims be any different?

"a false religion started by a pedophile."

lol Wrong again. Marry young girls was not against the law back then, therefore your label is very incorrect.

"speak out publicly often about eliminating violence, and show the rest of the world that they are eliminating the boner murderers by combing through their own ranks and exposing the bad elements."

They do. Why aren't you paying attention?

"What you do see is another one of those mosques going up next to your churches"

In case you have forgotten your Civic's class lessons (assuming you even took one), they have the same right to Freedom of Religion as anyone else in this country. We do not have a right to decide what other country's do.

Your rant is ignorant and has nothing to do with reality. At all. A SMALL percentage of Muslim's has decided that they have the right to do what they want to do, in the name of God (yes, we do share the same God), and you (and a bunch of other idiots) have decided that the minority who feel this way is actually the majority. That is not sound, or sane, reasoning.

As for this person, who was stopped before he harmed anyone, he was going to retaliate because instead of getting a general discharge, for being a conscientious objector, he was going to be court-martialed for having child pornography. That is what the retaliation was for. And, yes, he yelled out that Psychiatrist's name at the hearing.

ALL that means is that he was trying to get a rise out of who ever was stupid enough to believe him.

Try going back and reading the actual article. All of it. If you still come to the same conclusion, take a reading comprehension course. Or ask a 6th graders what the article says.

[agnesdeo]

The teachings of any religion can be perverted and misused by anyone. Christ Himself said: "Beware of wolves in sheep's clothing."
In accordance with Islamic Sacred Writing you are doing their god a service when you kill infidels in their god's Name.
In accordance with Christian Sacred Writing (New Testment) you are to love your enemies, pray for your enemies.
There is the major difference between Muslims and Christians...study their Sacred Writings that they attempt to practice.

[tsprague52]

What is your point?

The man was going to kill people in retaliation for the fact that he was caught with child pornography and was going to be court martialed, instead of getting a conscientious objector discharge. He admitted that.

What part did you not understand?

[valdo333]

while im glad its not the headline of this story like it was the last one the fact that he is muslim is still not relevant to this story. he was upset over and wanted retaliation for the child porn charges. no where does he mention his religion besides applying for observer status, which anyone of any religion can do.

i mean for that matter why dont see the religion of the boy that killed his parents in florida in that story? its pretty much just as related as this story is to his religion.

[valdo333]

your argument would be much more valid if he had expressed or in any way showed any interest in islam or even brought it up. simply calling onself muslim (which he did not even do, only the media has done that) does not mean he is a follower of all islam law, culture etc. simular to how calling onself christian or any other religion does not mean you follow all the rules, regulations and tenates of that faith.

also he specifically stated he was upset over his child porn charges making no mention of islam at all.

the story is unrelated to his religion in any way even by the suspects own admission. lets quit grasping for straws and trying to blame anyone or anything besides the individual.

[luadda22]

valdo, OK then, lets see if I have this stright. Because of your religion you can't kill in war, but it's alright to kill in "retaliation for the child porn charges". If he is really a believer (must have been to receive CO status) then it sounds like a pretty messed up religion to me.

[begovatp]

The shop owner had "concers" but still sold the 6 lbs of gun powder to this guy.

[Okiefolks]

another muslim ***** hellbent on killing unarmed innocents. A pedophile...when are we gonna figure this one out? The whole time in the military drawing a paycheck and benefits on the taxpayer's dime-and figures we owe HIM something. Take him to Afghanistan, take his clothes off and kick him out in the desert. There u go dude. You are now an Afghani... better yet Bury this diknose in pigskin so he can go see the teacher of hate and terrorism, Allah. He can share some baconettes with him.

[credibility2]

A Muslim convert doing porn. Wonder what his Muslim brethren think of this.

[tsprague52]

David, the age of Mohammad's wife has no bearing on this case, or any other case. The fact that, in today's mores, we consider marrying a child that young completely against the law doesn't mean that it was then. It wasn't. In fact, children were married at younger ages. And it wasn't for sex, it was for property or protection. Until that child became 13 or 14, the marriage was not consummated.

Pick up some actual history books and find out what they say. You have posted a LOT of things that you claim that you "know" about Islam, and you claim that it applies to all Muslim's.

The majority of Muslim's do not agree with you. Muslim's in this country are the majority of who is turning the extremists in to the authorities. The Koran can, and has, been cherry picked, just as the Christian Bible has been, in order to back up the extremists beliefs.

I remember reading that god advocated dashing babies against rocks, when warring with another people.

Are we still supposed to do that?

[Harden_Tar]

Betcha this pervert never saw a day of action. Was he ever sent to the middle east? Doesn't sound like it. He doesn't have PTSD. He has a bad case of felony stupidity. What an incredible loser. I don't know about booting out existing Muslims, but the military needs to look long and hard about admitting future one.

[longtree-2009]

and most people think everyone in a military uniform is a patriot. perhaps it's time to rethink that automatic thought and just be wary, err on the side of caution.