Tuesday, May 05, 2015

One of the Muhammad drawing gunmen was known to the FBI

One of the gunmen who opened fire on a building hosting the First Annual Muhammad Art Exhibit and Contest--wounding an unarmed security guard--was well known the the Federal Bureau of Investigation.

From AP:
Since 2006, the FBI had been investigating Elton Simpson — one of the men suspected in the Texas shootings outside a contest featuring cartoons of the Muslim Prophet Muhammad.

Agents recorded the young man from Phoenix talking about fighting nonbelievers for Allah. About plans to travel to South Africa and link up with "brothers" in Somalia. About using school as a cover story for traveling overseas.

Simpson was arrested in 2010, one day before authorities say he planned to leave for South Africa. But despite more than 1,500 hours of recorded conversations, the government prosecuted him on only one minor charge — lying to a federal agent. Years spent investigating Simpson for terrorism ties resulted in three years of probation and $600 in fines and court fees.
The FBI was right about this guy--he was trouble.

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