Fort Hood Update: Suspect Influenced by al-Qaida?
The AWOL soldier, Private First Class Naser Jason Abdo, made a court appearance Friday and yelled out the name of the alleged shooter of the 2009 Fort Hood rampage.
Abdo was charged Friday with possession of an "unregistered destructive device'' in connection to the planned bomb attack on Fort Hood.
Upon leaving the Waco, Texas, courtroom, Abdo yelled, "Nidal Hasan, Fort Hood 2009."
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Abdo was arrested at a motel Wednesday after making a purchase at Guns Galore, the same ammunition store where Maj. Nidal Hasan bought the weapons that he allegedly used to kill 13 people and injure 32 others in the attack on Fort hood on November 5, 2009.
Abdo’s motel room was stocked with gunpowder, firearms, and ammunition. Officials told ABC News that an article from al-Qaida’s “Inspire” magazine entitled “How to Build a Bomb in the Kitchen of Your Mom” was also found in his room.
According to one official, the magazine mentioned al-Qaida cleric Anwar al-Awlaki, the same man investigators believed was the inspiration behind the 2009 Fort Hood massacre.
Although there is no direct link between Abdo and Awlaki, the private has publicly complained that he faced discrimination for being Muslim. A federal officer said Abdo told investigators he wanted to attack the military – to “get even.”
ABC News obtained law enforcement documents that said Abdo did not plan to attack the base itself, but instead wanted to plant two bombs at a restaurant frequented by Ft. Hood Personnel.
He planned to first detonate both bombs and then use a pistol to shoot remaining survivors, the documents reported.
In 2010, Abdo told ABC News he joined the military because he believed he was fighting a ‘just’ war for the freedoms of Muslims, but soon realized “he wasn’t supposed to be there.”
He said, "Any Muslim who knows his religion or maybe takes into account what his religion says can find out very clearly why he should not participate in the U.S. military," ABC reported.
Abdo went AWOL over July 4 weekend from Fort Campbell, in Kentucky, when his request for conscientious objector status was put on hold due to child pornography charges. The private denied these accusations.
In an interview with WSMV News, Abdo said he had been set up and refused to accept the charges saying, “I’m a man of truth. I’m a Muslim. I’m a soldier. I’m a human being.”
Abdo never voiced any threats against the military, despite public objections against the mission in the Middle East.
However, the findings in his motel room seem to suggest that Abdo was planning a lethal attack. According to officials, Abdo appeared to have worked alone and police say the public should not worry.
“We would probably be here giving a different briefing if he had not been stopped," Dennis Baldwin, the chief of police, said at a televised press conference.
James M. Branum, the lawyer who defended Abdo in the Fort Campbell dealings, declined to comment on the reports, saying it had been a while since he last spoke to Abdo.
