Ex-colleague: San Bernardino killer "didn't want to be in the U.S."
Few people who knew the San Bernardino shooters well have come forward, but a former colleague and classmate of one of the suspects, Syed Rizwan Farook, is sharing some key insight into the troubles he says Farook was facing over the last few years, reports David Begnaud.
While other coworkers have described Farook as "reserved," Chaz Harrison said he did not have the same impression.
"Syed was a talker," Harrison said. "He was very confident when he talked. There was times when we walked out of work, in the morning, I couldn't get him to stop talking."
Harrison met Farook in college back in 2008. They later worked together and he says he watched him change over time.
"He liked to talk about cars a lot -- fixing things, building things -- he liked to talk about religion a lot," Harrison said. "He wanted to start a business, he wanted to just get a truck, put some tools in it and go around and fix people's cars. So there was a point where he was definitely making long term goals."
While Harrison said Farook intended these plans for the U.S., he also says he told the FBI that Farook "didn't want to be in the United States" because "being in this country just didn't fit his views."
Harrison said Farook was "passionate about his religion," and didn't feel that he could practice it the way he wanted to in America.
"He told me that him paying taxes was helping the United States support basically the war on Islam, the war on Muslims," Harrison said.
Farook also told Harrison he made plans to move to Dubai, but couldn't find a job.
Harrison said Farook "had a good work relationship with everyone," which made his attack on his own colleagues puzzling.
"I was trying to call him and I called every single person that possibly could have been in that building to find out if they were okay. And I'm over here calling this guy to find out if he's okay -- and he's the shooter? You know... how do you?" Harrison said, unable to finish his thought.
Farook's wife, Tasheen Malik -- the other suspect in the San Bernardino killings -- was more of a mystery to Harrison. He said Farook was very "secretive" and "didn't want to reveal too much about his wife."
"One of the first things I said, 'Hey you got a picture?' He didn't have any pictures," Harrison said. "He said that she was very uncomfortable. Everyone looked at her -- they stared her because of the way she dressed."